Inflow and discharge from Hunza Lake equalize
PT Report
Gilgit, June 5: Yesterday night the water discharge from a lake formed on Hunza River equaled inflow, halting water rise in the upstream villages.
According to informed sources the water level measured in Gulmit at 4 AM, on June 5, had stopped rising further. It is pertinent to note that yesterday the water rise level had decreased to 0.5 inch per hour from the earlier level of 1 inch per hour.
Experts are of the opinion that further erosion of the spillway would gradually result from now on and the outflow would be more than inflow, resulting in bringing down the water level in upstream villages.
Tail of the lake has moved beyond the Passu suspension bridge, nearing Passu settlement. Two households in Hussaini have been declared IDPs but their houses have not been dismantled so far.
This can be seen that the increase in water level has eventually resulted in the overflowing of the water over the spill way and this flow can be translated as a discharge at this end which is inflow at the upstream. Obviously it is bound to remain slow.
The expected large erosion may not occur as the narrow V shape channel, at its mouth is gutted with long stretch of pile (over a kilometre) of very large heavy boulders which may not allow the required flow to attain the expected erosion or widening of the spill way for considerable long time to come. Looks like this lake is there to stay.
In the upcoming monsoon season; no doubt that with the increase of inflow the expected discharge might encourage the erosions but what happens if the more land slides are received; further blocking the narrow spillway which will surely result in drowning of more upstream areas..
It is very strange that no mechanical means are being considered to drain the lake which in any case has to be taken up at some stage.
A very creative, lucid and well conceived ‘ Hunza kahani’ produced by the team of Express News along with some young and talented local minds. Congratulations to all the team and people involved. This video presentation has really helped to depict the agonies and pains of the affected people of Ataabad land slide 4/1-2KX. One thing just to bring on the record is that the glacier at the end of GhulKin village, as taged ‘Ghulkin Glacier’in this ‘kahani’ is in fact ‘Husaini-Glacier’. Our young researchers must consult and explore,first, the international, national research along with local sources and references–alive from Zoodkhoon to Khizerabad–and than express their talents. Disseminating rootless information is disservice to human civilisation and history; and, the distortion of history is unforgivable. PT and some very appreciable people affiliate has become, in this regard, a tool of propaganda that is not understandable.