Flood causes massive destruction in Hunza and adjoining areas
HUNZA, May 8: A flood caused by the melting of glaciers have resulted in massive destruction in Hunza and other areas of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The flood was a result of a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) at the Shishpar glacier located upstream Hassanabad. The rampaging floodwaters swept away homes, roads and power houses and damaged water channels.
On Friday, a concrete bridge on the Karakoram Highway collapsed in Hunza's-Hassanabad area, disrupting traffic and forcing travelers to take a detour. The traffic movement has been diverted to alternative routes from Nagar.
The authorities have began the construction of a temporary bridge for the movement of heavy traffic carrying vital supplies to the area. The bridge is expected to be built in a week.
Hunza Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Usman Ali said that the traffic movement from Shayarbridge in Murtazabad to Ganish has been stopped and alternative routes are being used for the supply of petroleum products and the movement of tourists.
GB chief secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani also visited the affected areas and ordered the authorities to undertake rescue and relief efforts on war footing. Floodlike situation emerges every year in the area and this year, the government had already mobilized rescue authorities before the flood hit, said Wani.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Kashmir and GilgitBaltistan Affairs QamarZamanKaira also contacted the chief secretary and issued directives to prioritize the construction of the bridge.
Kaira said the administration was mobilised in time for timely rescue and relief efforts. He added the chief secretary, deputy commissioners, National Disaster Management Authority and the National Highway Authority chairmen are also present in the area.
An alternative route to build a temporary bridge has been finalised as the bridge is vital for the connectivity to the area, said Kaira. He said the work on the reconstruction of bridge was expected to begin soon.
Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman said Saturday her ministry warned the country is vulnerable to floods due to high temperature. "[M]any such areas are vulnerable up in the north, especially GB, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan has the highest number of glaciers outside the polar region and many are losing mass due to high global temperatures," she tweeted.
The minister further said that she has been told that FWO will have a temporary bridge up in 48 hours. Last week, the ministry issued an advisory of possible GLOF events and flash floods in GilgitBaltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The advisory stated that precautionary actions must be taken mitigate the any losses to lives, property and livelihoods. A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is a type of outburst flood caused by the failure of a dam containing a glacial lake.
The dam of a glacial lake can consist of glacier ice or a terminal moraine. Failure can happen due to erosion, a buildup of water pressure, an avalanche of rock or heavy snow, an earthquake or cryoseism, volcanic eruptions under the ice, or massive displacement of water in a glacial lake when a large portion of an adjacent glacier collapses into it.
Increasing glacial melting because of climate change, alongside other environmental effects of climate change mean that regions with glaciers are likely to see increased flooding risks from GLOFs. This is what has happened in Hunza.