GILGIT: An urgent midnight call from a shepherd proved lifesaving for dozens of residents in the Taalidas area of Raushan, Gupis in Ghizar of Gilgit Baltistan, as a devastating flash flood struck early Friday morning. Alerted at around 2:50 am, villagers quickly evacuated their homes, successfully rescuing women, children, and others before a raging torrent swept through the settlement.
At least 30 houses were directly impacted, and all other properties, shops, and infrastructure in the area were buried under debris.
According to Faizullah Firaq, who is the spokesperson for the Gilgit Baltistan government, the flood blocked the Ghizer River, creating a temporary lake nearly seven kilometres long, which submerged houses, farmland, and sections of the Ghizer–Shandur Road. This blockage has cut off access to Upper Gupis, Phander, and Yasin, leaving thousands of people isolated.
Local accounts indicate that those stranded in Taalidas were rescued just 15–20 minutes before the floodwaters engulfed the area. “It was a matter of minutes between life and death. Had we delayed, no one would have survived,” a resident told Pamir Times.
The shepherds who raised the alarm managed to flee to higher ground but are now stranded in remote pastures. Reports suggest they have lost all their livestock to the flood. A helicopter has reportedly been dispatched to rescue the eight stranded shepherds.
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Meanwhile, the Ghizer–Shandur Road remains blocked, severing access to Phander, Upper Gupis, and Yasin. Authorities have appealed to residents living near the river to take precautionary measures and move to safer locations, warning that the blockage of the Ghizer River may trigger further flooding downstream.
