Fear of flash floods in Gilgit-Baltistan as Attabad Lake starts overflowing

The Attabad Lake in the Hunza valley of Gilgit Baltistan has started overflowing with the lake's water entering the spillway on Saturday morning.

Written on May 29, 2010 | Posted in Hunza Valley, unlmitie | Leave a comment

Pakistan awaits natural lake burst in Hunza Valley

Pakistan is awaiting the burst of a natural lake created after the landslide, as thousands of people are stranded in the scenic Hunza Valley in northern Pakistan, while hundreds of others located in lower areas anxiously hope that they won't be affected by the possible flood.

Written on May 25, 2010 | Posted in Hunza Valley, Pakistan, USA, unlmitie | Leave a comment

Unicef sends $100,000 relief goods for IDPs

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 Our correspondent IslamabadIn order to provide immediate relief to people displaced by floods in Hunza valley and the damage expected in downstream areas if the Attaabad Lake…

Written on May 25, 2010 | Posted in 2010, Hunza Valley, islam, islamabad, unlmitie | Leave a comment

MQM chief calls for help of Hunza victims

LONDON: Muttaheda Qaumi Movement (MQM), Chief Altaf Hussain on Saturday expressed grief over the situation of Hunza landslide victims and called for concrete and positive measures for their protection and resettlement. In a statement issued here, MQM chief said thousands of people had been displaced due to landslide in the Hunza Valley and there is need to pay attention to provide them shelter and food commodities. He also sympathized with the affectees of Hunza valley landslide and stressed the government for providing relief on urgent basis.

Written on May 22, 2010 | Posted in Hunza Valley, News, Politics, USA | Leave a comment

Rain adds to Lake level; Hunza at heightened threat

HUNZA: The rain spell continued overnight splashing across the entire Hunza valley including Ata Abad, triggering the fears regarding further surge at the Lake, Geo News reported Wednesday. The overnight heavy downpours have given rise to apprehension regarding earlier outpouring from the Lake prior to the government deadline. It is expected that religious leader of Ismailis Prince Karim Agha Khan may visit the areas affected by the Lake in Hunza and Ata Abad. Also, the traffic got suspended, as the heavy showers caused the blockages on various points at Karakoram Highway from Rawalpindi to Gilgit, which will deal heavy blow to the relief activities underway in Ata Abad. Moreover, troubles faced by the affectees residing at the relief camps, increased under new weather-sponsored circumstances.

Written on May 19, 2010 | Posted in Hunza Valley, News | Leave a comment

Relief consignment arrived for Hunza landslide affectees

ISLAMABAD: In compliance with the directive of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, the relief consignment from Emergency Relief Cell (ERC) of Cabinet Division has arrived for people affected by landslide in Hunza Valley, Geo news reported. The consignment comprises 2,000 tents, 2,000 blankets, 10,000 plastic mats, 2,000 jackets, 5,000 family rations packets, medicines, life jackets and generators worth Rs.47.319 million, says a press release. The 6th Aviation Squadron of ERC’s helicopters also participated in relief and rescue operation in Hunza Valley with 427 flying hours. As many as 259,837 kilograms of relief goods were delivered and 6,955 persons were evacuated, the press release added.

Written on May 16, 2010 | Posted in Hunza Valley, News, islamabad | Leave a comment

Ata Abad lake on surge; traders vacate Sost

GILGIT-BALTISTAN: The water level at Ata Abad lake rose to 341 feet, which rang alarm bells causing the traders to evacuate the area of Sost near Pak-China border, as the government deadline for lake burst approached, Geo News reported Saturday. As the scorching heat of summer is causing rapid glacier meltdown and as a result, the water is fast surging, submerging low-lying areas, a bank and several houses situated in Gojal tehsil of Gilmit. The center of Pak-China trade Sost has been vacated, as the government deadline for Lake to burst is approaching near. In view of potential flood, the work to remove four suspending wooden bridges in the limits of Hunza Nagar is fast in progress. The removal of these bridges would pose great problems for the people in moving to different areas. On the directives of authorities in the downstream Shangla, Kohistan and Battagram districts, people residing on the banks of River Indus Friday started moving to safer places due to an imminent breach in the lake formed by a landslide in Attaabad area in Hunza valley. Also, the district administrations have started registration of the affected families being displaced due to the fear of flood. Official sources said they were anticipating bursting of the lake during the period May 20 to June 4. They said the government would be assisting the displaced families. Thousands of people were residing on the banks of Indus in the densely populated Bisham town and its surrounding areas, the residents said. They added that people living in Sindh Colony, Bisham Bazaar, Shang, Mera, Dandai, and Thakot, besides those in Pattan, Dubair and Jemal areas in Kohistan district were migrating to safer places. Sources said that because of rise in temperature, the flow of water in Indus had increased manifold. Due to a heavy landslide in the mountainous village of Attaabad in Hunza Valley, the course of the river was blocked during winter and a large lake was formed. The authorities were working to make spillways for the passage of water to avoid floods that could submerge the low-lying areas not only in Shangla and Kohistan districts but also in areas located on the banks of Indus in the down country. Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has already transferred funds to the district coordination officers in Battagram, Mansehra, Shangla and Kohistan for necessary evacuation of the people. The PDMA estimates suggested that 900 families in Allai in Batagram district, 2,704 families in Kala Dhaka in Mansehra, 750 families in two sub-tehsils of Shangla and 6,507 families in Kohistan are included in the vulnerable population. Around 10,000 tents, 15,000 blankets, 10,000 food bags and 1,000 gas cylinders would be required for the four districts to meet the needs in case of evacuation. The PDMA has provided 70 percent of relief items and sufficient funds to the relevant district administration. “Food items and other relief goods are available in the stock and can be mobilised within an hour,” said Adnan Zafar, Director, PDMA Relief Operation. “A District Control Room, established in each district by the PDMA, will monitor the situation and report any emergency immediately,” he added. An early warning system has also been established, through which all the police stations in these four districts have been directed to serve as Information Dissemination Centres and coordinate with the authorities in Gilgit for updates in case of a breach. They would also ensure to inform the people through announcements from local mosques and other means, Adnan Zafar said. “We are ready for emergency evacuation of the people who are vulnerable to the flood of Attaabad Lake. We will request for helicopters from NDMA if needed,” he said. The DCO Battagram also assured the establishment that three camps would be set up for displaced people in case of evacuation.

Written on May 15, 2010 | Posted in Hunza Valley, News, USA, War, cia, dha, police | Leave a comment

Swelling lake forces mass evacuation in Pakistan

In this Feb. 25, 2010, photo released by the Pakistan army cranes are put to work at Hunza Valley, in Pakistan. Pakistan army's chief engineer said Thursday, May 13, 2010, thousands of villagers i…

Written on May 13, 2010 | Posted in 2010, Hunza Valley, Pakistan, USA, army, unlmitie | Leave a comment

Drowning Hunza

On 4th January, 2010 a landslide caused a blockade at the Hunza River; no one knew at that time the effect of this landslide and our government ignored it as if it will go on its own. Days gone by the landslide and it caused a creation of an artificial lake at the area of

Written on May 13, 2010 | Posted in 2010, Current Affairs, Hunza Valley, News, Pakistan, cia | Leave a comment

Sponsors

Categories

Links

Archive

Latest Stories

Tags

123 2010 2011 afghan afghanistan aid America army australia ban cia country Cricket friday government india indian International ISI islam islamabad karachi kashmir lahore media military monday News Pakistan pakistani police president Prime minister saturday taliban thursday tuesday united united-states USA uth War wednesday world Zardari
TopOfBlogs