What happened
Fresh flash floods triggered by torrential overnight rain swept across Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district, forcing the closure of the strategic Karakoram Highway (KKH) and washing away link roads, homes and construction machinery, Pakistan Today reported on 13 July 2026.
The flooding struck at more than six locations in the Thor Valley near Chilas after heavy rain late on Sunday night, sending powerful torrents of water and debris through settlements and transport routes. The worst-hit areas included Thor, Niyat, Khanbari and Buner Das.
At Buner Das, the closure of the Karakoram Highway produced long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road, stranding freight traffic, passengers and tourists, while electricity remained suspended in several flood-hit areas.
In Thosarka, floodwaters surrounded residential areas from both sides and prevented residents from moving to safer ground through the night. Flood debris entered several houses, and agricultural land, standing crops and trees suffered extensive damage. Sections of the Thor link road were washed away at multiple points, cutting off several communities, and damage to electricity transmission lines caused a widespread power outage across the Thor Valley that hampered relief efforts.
In Khanbari Shing Shar Nullah in the Darel subdivision, flash floods swept away two residential houses along with all their household belongings, and several livestock were killed. The report said 13 dump trucks, one excavator, one crushing plant and two water tankers belonging to Hasnat Company, which was carrying out road construction work, were also swept away.
Authorities were assessing the scale of the damage as transport links remained disrupted and efforts continued to restore road connectivity and essential services in the affected areas.
Why it matters
The Karakoram Highway is the main transport artery linking Gilgit-Baltistan with the rest of Pakistan, and its closure cuts off communities and disrupts the movement of goods and travellers across the mountainous north. The floods add to a pattern of monsoon-season disruption on the highway and increase the pressure on authorities to restore road access and power in the affected valleys.
What is still uncertain
Pakistan Today did not give a confirmed death toll or the number of people displaced, and did not say when the road would reopen. The report described damage to property, crops and livestock but said authorities were still assessing the full scale of the losses.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details are as carried by the cited source, which was reviewed on 2026-07-13.
- Pakistan Today — "Flash floods ravage Diamer, cut off Karakoram Highway"13 July 2026 · The flash floods, the Karakoram Highway closure, the worst-hit areas, the damage to homes, roads and machinery, and the disruption to travel and power.
