Gilgit [PoGB], August 23: A massive glacier burst and landslide in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan’s Chizer district caused flooding that damaged over 300 homes and several shops on Friday, according to an initial government assessment reported by Ceo News.
The glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) led to the formation of an artificial lake, inundating several villages and inflicting significant financial losses. Authorities confirmed that no casualties were reported, though widespread damage has left families displaced.
The flooding affected 330 houses across Tildas, Miduri, Mulaabad, Hawks Thangi, Rawshan, and Coth villages, with shops and farmland also hit hard. Yasin, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Cupis, said there is an urgent need for tents, food, and other relief items for the affected families.
Officials stated that the water from the temporary lake has started to flow out through a natural spillway, reducing the risk of further inundation. However, senior official Sher Afzal from Chizer noted that some homes upstream remain submerged and warned it may take time for floodwaters to recede completely.
Locals reported that around 80 per cent of Rawshan village was destroyed, while the artificial lake, stretching more than seven kilometres, flooded farmland and washed away sections of road infrastructure. Authorities remain on alert as the natural dam at Rawshan is still vulnerable and could breach under additional pressure.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a high alert for glaciated areas, warning of further rainfall beginning August 23, which could intensify the threat.
This disaster adds to a series of four GLOF incidents that have already struck northern Pakistan this season, damaging homes, crops, and transportation links in parts of PoGB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Experts caution that rising temperatures are accelerating glacier melt, increasing the frequency of such destructive floods.