GILGIT: Flooding in the Hunza River has caused significant destruction in the Gulmit area of Gojal, leaving the Karakoram Highway blocked for vehicular traffic since yesterday.
The RCC bridge in Gulmit has been buried under flood debris, cutting off travel between Pakistan and China via the Khunjerab border.
Local authorities have engaged two excavators from the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) in efforts to restore the highway, but the situation remains dire. Hundreds of travelers are stranded on both sides of the border, with local volunteers stepping in to assist by guiding passengers across a temporary bridge. Some volunteers are even carrying ailing and weak passengers on their backs to help them cross safely.
Gilgit-Baltistan’s government spokesperson Faizullah Firaq confirmed that over 50 workers survived the wrath of the flooding Hunza River, which has also severely affected the Shigar area in Baltistan. The flooding in Shigar has damaged agricultural land, uprooted trees, and further complicated the situation.
Landslides along Shahrah-e-Resham have also contributed to the ongoing disruptions, leaving passengers stranded in the area. The government has acknowledged the severity of the situation, attributing the widespread destruction to climate change and its increasing impact on the region.
The region is facing one of its worst flooding crises, and the Gilgit-Baltistan government has pledged to continue relief efforts in the affected areas.
