Bridge collapse cuts off villages, strands climbers near K-2

SHIGAR: Floodwaters caused the collapse of a key bridge on the highway leading to K-2 in Shigar district early on Thursday.

This left ten villages isolated and stranded hundreds mountaineers heading to and from the world’s second-highest peak, local officials said   

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The district administration confirmed the bridge was flooded and structurally damaged. It disrupted access to remote communities.

The Deputy Commissioner of Shigar visited the site and declared an emergency in the area to facilitate rescue and relief operations.

The collapse adds to the ongoing flooding and landslide crisis in Gilgit-Baltistan that began earlier this week. Heavy monsoon rains and cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides across the region, causing deaths, missing persons, and widespread damage to roads and infrastructure.

Earlier floods washed away parts of Babusar and Karakoram Highways, blocked vital routes, and stranded dozens of tourists and locals.

Authorities have been conducting large-scale rescue operations, delivering relief supplies and evacuating trapped people.

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The government declared multiple areas as disaster zones and promised financial aid to victims, while surveys of damaged homes and infrastructure continue.

Heavy rains are expected to persist in the coming days, raising concerns over further flooding and access issues in the mountainous region.