Massive floods in Pakistan destroy roads, homes, leaving communities stranded

Record-breaking summer heat are melting glaciers at alarming rates, flooding roads and homes, and leaving entire communities stranded in Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan.

In Hoper Valley, residents are facing nature's fury like never before as the glaciers of Gilgit-Baltistan, once a frozen fortress, have been turning into rivers of destruction, triggering a climate catastrophe.

According to the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority, high temperatures in the region have broken decades old records. Last week, temperatures soared to over 45 degrees Celsius in the city of Chilas, the highest locally in nearly 30 years.

The unprecedented temperatures have accelerated the melting of the Hoper Glacier, leading to heavy flooding in districts across the region.

Entire valleys, Hunza, Nagar, Diamer, were cut off.

Landslides buried roads, fields were submerged, and families fled their homes as a glacial lake burst, floodwaters roaring down.

Among those living in the shadow of this glacier is 25-year-old Sadaqat Ali. He is now watching his home slip away.

"I've been here since I was a child. The glacier has melted dramatically, by at least 30 to 40 feet. And now, with this intense heat, even the snowfall isn't like it used to be," said Sadaqat Ali, a resident in Hoper Valley.

The Hoper Valley road lies in ruins. In Nagar Khas, floods have ripped through irrigation channels and drinking water supplies. Fields once green now are buried in mud. Electricity is out in many areas, and makeshift bridges were washed away, leaving communities stranded.

In Hunza's Hassanabad, the infamous Shisper Glacier has surged again, threatening the Karakoram Highway and dozens of homes downstream.

Local officials have evacuated families in its path, but fear the next outburst could be worse.

"The majority of people here depend on farming, but every summer, glacial floods sweep through and devastate our crops," Ali said.

Disaster response teams are scrambling to reopen roads and restore supplies. But the mountains are crumbling faster than they can react.

Experts warn the glaciers, which feed Pakistan's rivers, are melting at a record rate, and the people who live in their shadow are paying the price.

Massive floods in Pakistan destroy roads, homes, leaving communities stranded

Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Italy and Greece on Saturday to protest against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, with protesters in Rome, Milan and Athens condemning Washington's actions and calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.

In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the U.S. Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Police blocked roads around the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching the building, but demonstrators continued to denounce U.S. actions.

"First of all, we oppose U.S. imperialist aggression. This kind of behavior is shameful. The U.S. is attacking a sovereign country, and as [U.S. President Donald] Trump himself has said, this is for oil interests," said protester Giovanni Barbera.

Saturday's rally marked the second large-scale protest in Rome this month against U.S. military operations in Venezuela, following an earlier one on on Jan 3.

Participants included members of multiple political parties, labor unions and social organizations. The protesters held banners reading "Stop imperialist interference" and "Free Maduro," urging the international community to respect Venezuela's sovereignty and the will of its people, and condemning the U.S. for violating international law.

"We are protesting the way the U.S. handles international politics. Since the events of January 3, we have seen violations of international law, and we are very concerned about how the global situation is developing," said protester Stefano De Angelis.

Organizers said solidarity rallies in support of Venezuela were held in 30 Italian cities on the same day.

Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged in Greece. About 200 people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Athens, voicing support for Venezuela and opposition to U.S. military actions.

"We oppose U.S. imperialism and its attack on Venezuela. At the same time, the U.S. is also threatening Cuba, Mexico and Greenland. We must stand up against this behavior," said Greek protester Argiro Sirmakezi.

Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against U.S. military operation in Venezuela