ISLAMABAD – The Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority has warnedthat another Attabad lake-like disaster is in the making in Hunza.
According to the assessment report of GBDMA, the continuing surge inShispare Glacier has led to the creation of a dammed lake. However, thislake is expected to flood the surrounding areas at any time and can causeimmense damage to the local people, installations, and criticalinfrastructure located downstream.
The Shispare Glacier is located a few kilometers from Hasanabad village inHunza. It started to surge in May 2018 and blocked the flow of a streamcoming from the nearby Muchuur Glacier, stopping it from falling into theHunza River at Hasanabad.
This blocked water formed an artificial lake, which is expanding day byday and is currently spread to over 700 meters and has a depth of 300 feet.Alongside, the glacier is expanding at a speed of seven meters per daytowards Hasanabad.
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The assessment report says that the potential flood has the capacity tosubmerge an entire portion of Karakorum Highway, over 100 houses inHasanabad, a bridge, two powerhouses, hundreds of canals of fertile land,and a Frontier Works Organization (FWO) camp office along with blocking theflow of Hunza River as well.
