Flooding and erosion in the Hunza River have washed away a section of the Karakoram Highway, severing the land route between Pakistan and China and leaving a large number of tourists stranded at the Pakistan-China border.
According to Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq, a major portion of the highway near the village of Morkhoon in Upper Hunza was destroyed by riverbank erosion.
As a result, not only has travel between Pakistan and China been cut off, but many tourists visiting the border for leisure have also been trapped.
The spokesperson said machinery has been dispatched to restore the highway. The accelerated melting of glaciers has caused an unusually high flow in the Hunza River, which led to the highway being eroded and swept away.
Meanwhile, in Central Hunza, rapid melting of the Shishper Glacier has triggered severe flooding in a stream, forcing the evacuation of five houses located nearby over the past 24 hours.
In Gupis-Khukum Valley, Ghizer District, the Gilgit–Chitral Road, blocked by flooding on July 31, remains closed even after eight days, leaving over 40,000 residents facing shortages of food and fuel. The disruption of road links from Gilgit has also created difficulties for patients and travelers trying to reach their destinations.
