Lake drainage fizzle; overall 3 ft rise in initial water level

Gulmit, January 27: The Frontier Works Organization’s efforts to bring down water level in the dammed Hunza River failed completely. After blocking spillway of the river lake for more than two weeks only 7 feet reduction was observed in the water level.

“Overall, as compared to the pre-blocking measurements, the water level has risen by 3 ft since blockade of the spillway”, a local person told Pamir Times. “It (water level) had risen by around 10 ft due to blockade of the spillway”, he further said.

The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) had been excavating the spillway after blocking the water flow for more than two weeks. It was believed that the water level would go down by at least 15 feet.

The local people have expressed disappointment and anger over the failure. They are demanding allocation of more resources and “serious efforts” for drainage of the river lake.