GHIZER: An artificial lake was created in the Ishkoman valley of Ghizerdistrict of Gilgit-Baltistan after a small glacier melted into BarsuwatNullah, it emerged on Thursday.
The Barsuwat area lies at a distance of 60km from Gahkuch, the districtheadquarters of Ghizer district. The Ishkoman valley is situated near thePakistan-Afghanistan border area.
A village in the area was turned into a lake after the flow of the ImmitRiver was blocked due to the melted glacier.
Dozens of houses and families were affected. Hundreds of kanals ofcultivated land were submerged and crops damaged.
Reports of locals trapped in different areas were also received.
As landslides in the area continue, the land routes connecting to upperparts of Immit have been blocked.
Residents of the area have complained that authorities have not extendedany support.
This year the current heatwave has also contributed to the melting of theglacier. The snow falling in February to March cannot convert into glaciersand when heat rises in summer, the snow starts melting, resulting in floodsand avalanches.
On January 4, 2010, at least 20 people died in a landslide that blocked theHunza River, creating the Attabad lake that gradually expanded 23kilometres upstream, submerging four villages – Ainabad, Shishkat, Gulmitand Gulkin. The landslide had also blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH), avital trade link to China, cutting off 26,000 people in Upper Hunza Valley,also known as Gojal Valley.