The Karakoram highway (KKH) was reopened on Saturday as help and rescue operations continued in Gilgit-Baltistan after sudden floods mistreated the region.
The devastating impacts of climate change have become more visible in GB, since unprecedented heat waves, erratic climate patterns and glacial fusion have triggered cloud bubbles and intense floods throughout the region.
On Monday, the floods swept the Babusar area of GB in Diamer District and Naran, causing landslides and leaving many stranded. At least nine people died and more than 500 houses, roads and other infrastructure were damaged as a result.
In today’s statement, GB government spokesman Faizullah Faraq said: “The Karakoram road is open for all types of traffic.”
He recalled that the main artery had been blocked due to landslides and mud flow on Friday, adding that the machinery was sent to restore the road.
Faraq also said that rescue and search operations were underway throughout the province. Recent floods have caused severe destruction in the region, particularly in the Kunduz region and the Ghanche district, he said.
“GB floods have destroyed many houses, water channels, communication roads, standing crops, electricity stores and posts,” said the official.
He added that the local government has distributed “hundreds of tents, thousands of food and medication packages to affected people” throughout the region.
Speaking about the search operation in Babusar, Faraq said: “There may be 10 to 12 missing tourists in the Babusar Valley, since a search operation was ongoing.”
“Pakistan’s army, GB explorers, rescue 1122 and local volunteers participate in the operation,” he said, added that continuous earth landslides and increased water flow were hindering the search.
Another rescue operation was underway in Fairy Meadows, according to government spokesman.
“Four tourists stranded in Fairy Meadows near Nanga Parbat Basecamp, including a man and three women, were transferred by plane through helicopters from the Pakistan army on early Friday,” he added.
GB Prime Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, and his cabinet will also hold a press conference today regarding flood disasters and rehabilitation operations, Faraq added.
Earlier this week, the National Disaster Management Authority issued an alert of landslides for the northern areas of the country. He advised citizens to avoid traveling to mountainous areas and ordered the authorities to remain alert in case of emergency.
GB GOVT announces free flights for stranded tourists, premises
The GB government had started free and special flights to evacuate stranded tourists and local people, said the chief secretary of GB, Ahmed Mirza.
At a media conference on Friday, Mirza said that 135 people, including 80 tourists, were taken from Skardu to Islamabad through a C-130 flight. “A special C-130 flight will begin from Gilgit to Islamabad to change stranded tourists and local passengers to Islamabad,” he added.
He also said that the GB government made the arrangements with the NDMA and Pakistan army to “facilitate the safe evacuation of tourists, patients and students who were stranded in multiple locations.”
A helicopter service was also launched to evacuate tourists stranded in the affected areas, he added.
The main secretary also pointed out: “The main cause of most incidents was to melt glaciers and clouds.”
He said that the destructive flood induced by the cloud in the Babusar Valley dragged around eight kilometers of the road that leads to Babusar Top, sweeping two dozen vehicles and leaving hundreds of tourists and stranded premises.
“However, tourists stranded in the areas of Babusar Valley and Deosai were safely evacuated through timely efforts by the locals, the 1122 rescue, the district administration, the Pakistan army, the Border Works Organization (FWO) and the volunteers of the local community,” he added.
Mirza declared that 12 km of roads, 26 bridges, 20 vehicles, water channels, cattle sheds, shops, agricultural land, crops, private and public properties, irrigation channels and drinking water supply systems had been damaged in several GB areas.
“The GB government is effectively dealing with the situation,” he said, stating that the administration was providing help to the affected places.
