Hunza:
On Wednesday, a new wave of sudden floods forced the authorities to interrupt repair work on the Karakoram (KKH) motorway, leaving thousands of passengers, including local and foreign tourists, blocked at several points of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
The rescue 1122 confirmed that the situation of the floods at Gulmit Gojal in Hunza, declaring that the restoration work on the KKH stopped after the floods struck Juchar Nullah. GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said that rehabilitation efforts were underway in the floods in the region.
“The rehabilitation work on KKH is in full swing in Gulmit Gojal. Passengers and vehicles are waiting for the road to be restored on both sides of the KKH,” he said, adding that blocked people were moved by another wooden bridge road.
Faraq said the authorities had been invited to accelerate work in Shigar, Ghizer, Hunza, Gilgit, Astore, Diamer and other affected districts. He stressed that the aggravation situation was linked to the climate crisis. “Rehabilitation works are faced with difficulties due to the increase in water flow, river erosion and landslides.”
Meanwhile, the disaster, triggered by the merger of the Hunza shisper glacier, continued to intensify. According to Faraq, more than 15 houses were destroyed in Rasanabad, Hunza, due to the serious bank and the erosion of the land. “Life in Rasisanabad has stopped,” he said.
The situation has worsened after an increase in water flow won additional KKH sections, disturbing connectivity. The spokesperson said the highway was partially closed to another place, adding to the challenges for residents and rescue teams.
The intensity of the erosion of the shore and the land forced dozens of families in Rasanabad to abandon their homes. “Some residents have started to dismantle their own houses to save usable materials,” said Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson.
The emergency operations have been accelerated, the teams working to provide immediate assistance to the displaced. “We will not rest until all the affected families are rehabilitated,” promised Faraq.
Damage to infrastructure
According to the local administration in Gojal, thousands of travelers, including those on the way to and from China via Khunjerab, have been stuck on both sides of the closure without any other available route.
The flood also caused major disturbances of public services, damaging the network of optical fibers and removing mobile and internet services in parts of Hunza.
“The increase in water level in the Khunjerab river has damaged the transmission of electricity near the city of Sost, which caused an electricity disturbance in areas,” said officials. Heavy machines have been deployed in order to restore traffic along the KKH.
Rescue 1122 reported that the sudden flood had been triggered by the melting of heavy glacials on Tuesday evening. “The intensity of the flash floods was high. The flood damaged a bridge and carried a part of KKH,” said his declaration.
The torrent has destroyed large expanses of land and infrastructure in the Gulmit, sweeping “thousands of land, trees, irrigation canals and private and public infrastructure”. A popular road restaurant, a tourist facilitation center belonging to the government and other nearby structures have also been lost in the waters.
“The flood has destroyed thousands of kalens of forests and fruit trees, orchards, three connection roads, three wooden bridges, five irrigation, electricity and internet channels,” said the agency.
Rescue 1122 said that more than 50 people narrowly escaped the tragedy during the flood. “About 60 to 70 people repairing the water channels narrowly escaped the disaster after someone’s last minute warning, who spotted dust clouds during the race in front of the torrent,” he reported.
