A sudden cloudburst in Thor, a village near Chilas in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district, caused flash floods that severely impacted the area, damaging homes, agricultural fields, roads, and irrigation systems. Relief and restoration operations were underway on Saturday to address the destruction.
Floodwaters inundated multiple sections of the village, damaging property and disrupting transportation links. One house was completely swept away, along with household items, livestock, cash, and a vehicle lost in the floods.
Authorities, supported by local volunteers, managed to restore road access at two points, while efforts continued to clear debris and reopen other affected routes. The flooding also devastated farmland in Thor’s Shetan, Angar, and surrounding areas, burying standing crops, orchards, and cultivated land under mud and debris. Damage to irrigation channels raised concerns about the future of agriculture in the region.
A mosque in Thor Mehk was among the structures damaged, with several other buildings affected to varying extents. In a notable incident, Rs400,000 in cash belonging to a flood-affected family was found in a nearby Wapda Colony building and subsequently returned to its owner.
Residents also reported the loss of approximately 200 grams of gold extracted through placer mining, which was washed away by the floodwaters. Local people continued searching for the missing gold, though no recovery had been made so far.
The floods disrupted daily life across the village, with community members leading efforts to clear roads, remove mud from homes, and repair damaged infrastructure. Restoration work remains ongoing, focusing on reconnecting isolated areas and rebuilding public facilities.
Many families affected by the floods, having lost homes, crops, and possessions, are expected to require government assistance to recover fully. Gilgit-Baltistan frequently experiences flash floods during the summer months, when heavy rainfall and cloudbursts cause sudden surges in mountain streams, often damaging roads, bridges, irrigation networks, and farmland, thereby disrupting transport and livelihoods in remote communities.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported in this latest incident.
