Spillway of dammed Hunza River blocked, excavation work continues

PT Report

Hunza, January 21: Spillway of the dammed Hunza River has been blocked as excavation work along the spillway continues near Attabad village. Large boulders are being blasted routinely as part of the efforts to deepen and widen the spillway for release of water in larger quantity.

Water level in the upstream valley has started increasing after the blockade of the spillway.

Damming of the river had led to devastating blockade of the Karakuram Highway on January 4, 2010. During the last two years travellers and traders have been suffering immensely, specially during the winters when the lake’s water freezes, making it impossible for operating boats, currently the only mean of transport available for 25,000 people of Gojal Valley, upper Hunza.

The local communities have been demanding, to no avail, of the authorities to expedite the excavation work and revive the Karakuram Highway to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

The Frontier Works Organization, semi-military organization operating under the Pakistan Army, has been working near Attabad since January 29, 2010, without any significant impact.

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