Several areas in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan remain cut off after flash floods
Islamabad: Road access to several parts of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) remains cut off for the fourth consecutive day as flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs) continue to damage highways and hamper restoration efforts, local media reported.
“Thousands of residents and tourists remained stranded as road closures severed access to several valleys. Flood-hit communities also continued to face shortages of drinking water, electricity and communication services,” Pakistan’s daily Dawn reported.
“Between July 18 and July 21, GB recorded unprecedented temperatures, resulting in rapid glacier melting and Glof incidents in several areas,” Director General of the GB Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) Ataur Rehman Kakar told Dawn.
According to residents of Hisper Valley in Nagar district, patients and students are facing severe hardships. Food and medicine are running short, while other essential supplies are also worsening.
People from Diamer, Astore, Ghizer and other affected districts also complained of disruptions of electricity and water supply along with other essential commodities.
“Residents of Astore expressed concern over what they described as the slow pace of work to reopen the Valley Road, saying the valley had remained isolated for three days,” Dawn noted.
Last week, Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan faced widespread destruction due to flash floods triggered by heavy rains.
GBDMA said that flash floods occurred at six locations in Diamer early on July 13, Pakistan’s daily Dawn reported.
Several houses and the Karakoram Highway (KKH) were damaged along with crops, agricultural land, and public and private property.
Traffic was completely suspended in Thore Valley as the main road was washed away in several places. Thousands of residents are facing difficulties as power transmission lines were damaged and flood debris entered several houses.
Entire houses with their contents were also swept away in a devastating flash flood in Khanbari, while livestock being washed away was also reported.