Hunza Glacier Flood Severs Karakoram Highway
GILGIT-BALTISTAN: A powerful glacier fed flood in the Hunza River has cut off the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in the Gulmit area of Gojal, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded since Tuesday. The flooding buried the RCC bridge under debris, blocking all traffic between Pakistan and China via the Khunjerab border.
Two Frontier Works Organization (FWO) excavators are working round the clock to clear the route, while locals are helping stranded travelers cross a temporary footbridge even carrying elderly and sick passengers on their backs.
Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Firaq said more than 50 workers in Gulmit and Gojal narrowly escaped as the floodwaters surged. Landslides have also struck sections of Shahrah-e-Resham, while in Shigar, floodwaters damaged fields, standing crops, water channels, and uprooted trees.
Officials blame the destruction on worsening climate change impacts, calling it among the region’s most severe flooding episodes in recent years. The KKH remains closed, cutting off vital supplies and isolating communities.
Relief operations have been intensified, with volunteers risking their lives to repair water channels. However, ongoing glacier discharge means the risk of further flooding remains high, and authorities are monitoring the situation closely.
