Cloudburst-induced floods disrupt life in Gilgit-Baltistan's Ghizer, Hunza

Cloudburst-induced floods disrupt life in Gilgit-Baltistan's Ghizer, Hunza.

Key points

• Jamil Nagri Published September 6, 2026 Updated September 6, 2026 09: 10am.
• According to the GB Disaster Management Authority, the region experienced 120 floods triggered by cloudbursts and melting glaciers from June to August this year.
• According to the Gilgit-Baltistan police spokesperson, the KKH was completely closed from Sost to Khunjerab Top due to landslides.
• GILGIT: Cloudburst-induced flo­ods blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) and other roads, damaged farmland and properties and disrupted electricity supply in Ghizer district on Saturday.
• The floods wreaked havoc in Naubahar village, damaging Gush­gush Jamaat Khana.

Jamil Nagri Published September 6, 2026 Updated September 6, 2026 09: 10am. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

Floods damage homes, farmland and orchards; roads blocked Babusar Top gets season's first snowfall as experts warn of changing weather patterns.

Flash floods triggered by heavy rain caused damage to houses and crops in a number of areas of Ghizer in the early hours.

For context, the floods wreaked havoc in Naubahar village, damaging Gush­gush Jamaat Khana. They additionally destroyed crops, fruit trees and agricultural land in the village.

Floods in various areas blocked the road from Immit to Barjangle and damaged electricity transmission lines along the route.

Residents were cut off from other areas after the blockade and demanded that the administration take emergency measures to reopen the affected road and provide immediate assistance to flood victims to compensate for their losses.

Meanwhile, according to the Gilgit-Baltistan police spokesperson, the KKH was completely closed from Sost to Khunjerab Top due to landslides. He remarked relevant agencies were working to restore the highway.

Tourists have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel in view of the situation.

Notably, the tourism police remarked the section of the KKH between Murta­zaabad and Hassanabad village in Hunza had been reopened for traffic after being blocked by landslides.

While intermittent rain, thunderstorms and lightning have continued throughout Gilgit-Baltistan since Aug 1, locals stated they had never experienced such downpour. Wase­­em Baigal, a resident of Gilgit, informed Dawn that thunderstorms and heavy rain caused panic among locals. He remarked he had never experienced such heavy rain and thunderstorms in his life. Nevertheless, he went on that the rain had not caused any damage in his area. Meanwhile, continuous rainfall has brought down temperatures throughout Gilgit-Baltistan.

According to the Diamer district administration, Babusar Top received snowfall on Saturday morning. It was the first snowfall of the season, but vehicular traffic continued on Babusar Road.

Notably, the floods destroyed dozens of homes, farmland, orchards, trees, irrigation channels and roads, besides damaging electricity supply systems. Residents in a number of areas remained stranded for days.

Experts remarked the region had und­e­rgone a shift in weather patterns, with frequent floods, cloudburst-induced floods, rapid glacier melting, glacial lake outburst floods, landslides and high temperatures.

While residents living among more than 8, 000 glaciers, 300 glacial lakes and mountains faced increasingly severe disasters, they remarked the fragile ecosystem of the region was under increasing threat from climate change.

After which the weather kicked off turning cold, ali Ahmed, a resident, remarked mid-August was traditionally considered the summer season.

"According to indigenous knowledge, ice began to freeze at high altitudes and the risk of flash floods was over. Nevertheless, for the last numerous years, a weather shift has been experienced, " he continued.

Safdar Ali, another resident, remarked residents in Gilgit-Baltistan were among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. He remarked increasing climate-related impacts had created panic among local residents. Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2026.

Jamil Nagri is a Gilgit-Baltistan-based correspondent for Dawn with over a decade of experience in journalism. His reporting and feature writing focus on CPEC, climate change, the environment, and adventure tourism. He can be discovered on X at @jamilnagri.

For now, cloudburst-induced floods disrupt life in Gilgit remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.