Thousands marooned in G-B as floods halt KKH repairs | The Express Tribune

HUNZA:

A fresh wave of flash floods on Wednesday forced authorities to halt repair work on the Karakoram Highway (KKH), leaving thousands of passengers, including local and foreign tourists, stranded at multiple points across Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

Rescue 1122 confirmed the flood situation in Gulmit Gojal in Hunza, stating that the restoration work on the KKH stopped after floods hit Juchar Nullah. G-B government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said rehabilitation efforts were under way in the flood-hit areas across the region.

“Rehabilitation work on KKH is in full swing at Gulmit Gojal. Passengers and vehicles are waiting for the road to be restored on both sides of the KKH,” he said, adding that stranded people were being moved through an alternative wooden bridge route.

Faraq said that the authorities had been instructed to speed up work in Shigar, Ghizer, Hunza, Gilgit, Astore, Diamer and other affected districts. He stressed that the worsening situation was linked to the climate crisis. “The rehabilitation work is facing difficulties due to increasing water flow, river erosion and landslides.”

Meanwhile, the disaster, triggered by the melting of Hunza’s Shisper Glacier, continued to intensify. According to Faraq, more than 15 houses have been destroyed in Hasanabad, Hunza, due to severe riverbank and land erosion. “Life in Hasanabad has come to a standstill,” he said.

The situation worsened after an increase in water flow washed away additional sections of the KKH, disrupting connectivity. The spokesperson said that the highway has been partially closed at another location, adding to the challenges for residents and relief teams.

The intensity of both riverbank and land erosion has forced dozens of families in Hasanabad to abandon their homes. “Some residents have begun dismantling their own houses to salvage usable materials,” the Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson confirmed.

Relief operations have been accelerated, with teams working to provide immediate assistance to the displaced. “We will not rest until all affected families are rehabilitated,” Faraq vowed.

Infrastructure damage

According to the local administration in Gojal, thousands of travellers, including those en route to and from China via Khunjerab, were stuck on both sides of the closure with no alternative route available.

The flood also caused major utility disruptions, damaging the optical fibre network and cutting off mobile and internet services in parts of Hunza.

“The increasing water level in the Khunjerab River damaged the electricity transmission near Sost town, which caused electricity disruption in areas,” officials said. Heavy machinery has been deployed in an effort to restore traffic along the KKH.

Rescue 1122 reported that the flash flood was triggered by heavy glacial melting on Tuesday evening. “The flash flood intensity was high. The flood damaged a bridge and washed away a portion of KKH,” its statement read.

The torrent destroyed vast swathes of land and infrastructure in Gulmit, sweeping away “thousands of kanals of land, trees, irrigation channels and private and public infrastructure”. A popular roadside restaurant, a government-owned tourist facilitation centre and other nearby structures were also lost to the waters.

“The flood destroyed thousands of kanals of forest and fruit trees, orchards, three link roads, three wooden bridges, five irrigation channels, electricity and internet poles,” the agency said.

Rescue 1122 said more than 50 people narrowly escaped tragedy during the flood. “Around 60–70 people repairing water channels narrowly escaped disaster after a last-minute warning from someone, who spotted dust clouds racing ahead of the torrent,” it reported.