Thousands of travelers, including children, women and elderly, were stranded across the Karakoram Highway (KKH) on the third day as landslides caused by heavy rains blocked the key route connecting Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Continuous heavy rain and occasional snowfall wreaked havoc in the region for three days straight. With temperatures dropping below freezing, many people experienced power cuts, making the situation even worse.
Ghulam Abbas, Deputy Director of the National Highway Authority (NHA), revealed that the KKH had become impassable due to blockages at approximately 50 junctures.
These points included Shetan Pari (at KKH number 241), Lotar (327), Hurban Nullah (362), Thor Nullah (391), Pani Baa (319 and 320) and parts of GB’s Diamer, Abbas elaborated.
“We have enlisted the assistance of our contractor companies for road clearance, as the blockade was extensive and occurred at numerous points. But, we are confident that it will be accessible to all types of vehicular traffic by Wednesday morning,” the official said.
He further mentioned that teams from Bisham, Pattan, Barseen, and Chilas were working hard to clear the roads. In some places, the roads have been opened for one-way traffic.
In response to the unfolding crisis, Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Haji Gulbar Khan mobilized resources, issuing directives to the GB Disaster Management Authority and administrative bodies to brace for the disastrous situation. With machinery poised for road rehabilitation and human assistance, the government endeavored to mitigate the impact of the natural calamity.
Moreover, other roads in KP, like those in Shangla, Kohistan, and Battagram, also suffered from the heavy rains, leading to more problems. Landslides damaged vehicles and made the situation even worse for the region.
Earlier, authorities mentioned that rain in lower areas and snowfall in higher regions began on February 19 in the morning, lasting until the evening. This led to the suspension of flights between Islamabad, Skardu, and Gilgit, and disrupted mobile and internet services in many parts of the region.
Following a period of dry weather until January, Gilgit-Baltistan experienced late snowfall and rain this winter season.
The Gilgit-Baltistan government had issued a serious weather warning, forecasting more heavy rainfall and snow from February 19 to 27, indicating that people in the region would continue to face challenges and weather uncertainty in the coming days.