Glacial lake outburst damages Karakoram Highway

GILGIT: A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) on Sunday damaged a section of Karakorum Highway in the Hassanabad area of Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan, disconnecting it with China and renewing concerns about disastrous effects of climate change in the region.

According to locals, the Hassanabad River water was stopped for more than an hour and surged rapidly destroying hundreds of trees and damaged farmland in its way.

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The heavy flood eroded the protective walls of Karakoram Highway. Due to land erosion caused by the nullah, dozens of houses are at risk in case of such events in the future.

At least 18 houses have been damaged in the area since 2022, with six more houses having been told to evacuate their houses.

The flood brought heavy boulders with it which diverted the water towards the Karakoram Highway and damaged the newly-constructed retaining wall and a portion of the highway.

The incident halted traffic from central Hunza to lower parts of the district; however, an alternate route for light traffic through Nagar district was opened.

Meanwhile, flooding occurred once again in Supultar Nullah, Nagar Khas, on Sunday, causing disruption to the road leading towards Hoper Valley.

According to the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), the main road to Hoper Valley has been blocked due to floodwater and debris. Vehicular movement to and from Hoper Valley has been temporarily suspended.

The Communication and Works Department (C&W) and GBDMA have mobilized excavators to the site for clearance operations.