At least eight volunteers lost their lives and three others were injured when a massive landslide struck during restoration work on the flood-affected Danyor Nullah in Gilgit in the early hours of Monday.

According to Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Firaq, the incident occurred around 2am when a group of about 15 volunteers was repairing a water channel damaged by recent floods. Tonnes of mud and rocks suddenly collapsed, burying several people under the debris.

Rescue teams, police, and local residents rushed to the scene, pulling four people out in critical condition. The injured were shifted to hospitals, where an emergency has been declared. Medical assistance for the victims is ongoing, officials said.

The deceased have been identified as Piyar Ali, Naik Alam, Adam Ali, Azharuddin, Afaq Azhar, Azhar, and Dildar Hussain. Their bodies were handed over to families after mass funeral prayers were offered in Danyor.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan expressed deep sorrow over the incident, terming the volunteers “heroes who sacrificed their lives for their community.”

He announced financial assistance for the bereaved families and directed authorities to provide free treatment to all the injured. Relief and rescue operations have been intensified in the area.

The tragedy comes amid an intense monsoon season that has triggered flash floods, landslides, and urban flooding across Pakistan, claiming over 260 lives nationwide. Gilgit-Baltistan has been among the worst-hit regions.

Last month, CM Gulbar Khan revealed that torrential rains in the region had already killed 10 people and injured four, destroyed more than 300 houses, and damaged vital infrastructure, including 30–40% of water channels and up to 20km of roads.