Torrential monsoon rains have triggered 2nd wave of devastating flash floods and landslides across Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) just in a month time. Over 700 tourists are stranded in Neelum Valley. 46 deaths and hundreds injured in Kishtwar cloudburst

 

Torrential monsoon rains have triggered devastating flash floods and landslides across Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK),  parts of Ladakh, and Jammu area causing significant loss of life and widespread damage. Last month according to Dawn News, at least three tourists were killed, four injured, and 15 reported missing after floods swept through GB’s Babusar area in Diamer district on July 21, 2025. Other sources, including Dunya News, report a higher toll, with up to nine deaths, including two women and two children, and 10 to 12 people were reported missing as of July 25, 2025. Over 500 homes, 27 bridges, and 22 vehicles have been destroyed, with over 12 kilometers of roads, including the Babusar and Karakoram highways, severely damaged or blocked. Communication networks are disrupted, complicating rescue efforts and this the second wave of flooding.

In GB, the floods have stranded hundreds of tourists and locals, with rescue operations ongoing. The Pakistan Army is airlifting stranded individuals via helicopters, and local residents are providing shelter. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned of further landslide risks in northern areas, urging people to avoid travel to affected regions. In Ghizer district, five people were swept away, with two bodies recovered, and in Ghanche, the last bridge to Siltoro Goma was destroyed, isolating communities.

Local posts on X highlight the ongoing crisis, reporting a bridge collapse in Gilgit division and people stranded due to severed road links. A post from August 14, 2025, noted 10 deaths in GB, though this figure remains unverified. Another post from August 12 described a massive flood in Juchar Nallah, Gulmit Gojal, destroying homes, crops, and a key bridge on the Karakoram Highway, leaving tourists stranded.

In AJK, at least 10 deaths were reported, including five from a single family near Muzaffarabad due to a cloudburst. Over 700 tourists are stranded in Neelum Valley’s Ratti Gali, with 50 rescued and others sheltered at base camps. Landslides have blocked key roads, including the Lohar Gali and Hattian Bala routes.On the Ladakh side, no specific reports confirm identical flooding events, but the region’s proximity and similar monsoon patterns suggest potential impacts. No direct sources mention loss of life in Ladakh or Jammu Kashmir explicitly tied to this event, but the shared geography implies possible disruptions, as heavy rains often affect cross-border areas concurrently.Rescue operations continue, with the NDMA and local authorities on high alert. More rain is forecast, raising fears of further damage. The situation remains critical, with infrastructure losses and stranded individuals posing ongoing challenges.

The latest reports on the Kishtwar cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir, which struck Chositi village on August 14, 2025, indicate a significant loss of life and ongoing rescue efforts. The death toll varies across sources, with figures ranging from 38 to 46 fatalities, including two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. Specifically:

• Greater Kashmir and other sources report at least 46 deaths, with 167 people rescued, of whom 38 are in serious condition.
• The Quint and Jagonews24 confirm at least 38 deaths, with over 100 injured.
• India Today reports 40 deaths and 96 injuries, with 30 critically injured.
• Posts on X mention death tolls between 23 and 50, with one post claiming 46 deaths, 98 injured, and over 200 missing, though these figures are unverified.

The cloudburst triggered flash floods that devastated Chositi, a key stop for the Machail Mata Yatra, destroying homes, a community kitchen, shops, and a security outpost. Over 100 people have been rescued, with 120 to 167 reported across sources, and rescue operations by the NDRF, SDRF, Army, police, and local volunteers are ongoing. The Indian Air Force has been alerted for evacuations, but washed-out roads and poor weather have hampered efforts, with no helicopter-worthy conditions reported.Regarding people escaping danger, 167 individuals have been rescued, with many receiving treatment at Atholi Sub-District Hospital and Kishtwar’s district hospital. However, over 100 to 220 people remain missing, and the death toll may rise as rescue teams continue searching. The Machail Mata Yatra has been suspended, and authorities are focusing on evacuating survivors and providing medical care. The situation remains critical, with ongoing efforts to locate and assist those still trapped.No specific updates confirm flooding in Ladakh directly linked to the Kishtwar event, but Zee News notes multiple cloudbursts and flash floods in other parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, such as Pahalgam, causing infrastructure damage but no reported deaths. For Gilgit-Baltistan, as we mentioned above, where flooding events have caused at least nine deaths and stranded hundreds, with rescue operations ongoing.