Heavy rainfall suspends helicopter service in Hunza

GILGIT: The helicopter services have been suspended in Hunza after heavy rains in the area, while water outflow from Attabad Lake has reached 3,200 cusecs.

The rate of erosion has also increased and visible cracks have appeared around the spillway, indicating that it may breach at any time.

The slow flow of water through the spillway has caused the lake to expand in length and depth, allowing water to submerge more and more houses in villages upstream.

Water outflow from Attabad lake rises

Water outflow from the Attabad Lake into the spillway has reached 750 cusecs while erosion has reached up to seven meters.

With around 300 cusecs of water also being discharged through seepages, the total amount of water being discharged daily is more than 1,100 cusecs.

Land routes to Gulmat, Shishkat, Aian Abad, Hussaini, Zahir Abad and Khurram Abad have been flooded.

People asked to avoid Red Zone

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has said that water discharge from the spillway of the “landslide lake” in the Attabad area of Hunza Valley is likely to begin anytime.

The lake was formed on January 4 when a massive landslide blocked the flow of the Hunza river at Attabad. The 20-kilomtre-long lake has submerged several upstream villages and destroyed a huge chunk of the strategic Karakoram Highway (KKH). And now it is threatening downstream villages.

Water from Attabad lake reaches spillway

Chairman of the National Disaster Manangement Authority (NDMA) Lt General (retired) Nadeem Ahmed said that the spillover of Attabad lake has started.

Talking to Express on Saturday, the NDMA chief said that all the safety measures have been taken and the initial outflow from the lake will be 300 cusecs.

Hunza lake expected to spill by May 28

The Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Retired Lt General Nadeem Ahmed said water outflow from the Hunza lake is expected to spill over on May 28.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority,  2050 cusecs water is entering the lake due to melting glaciers while the water release is 197 cusecs.

Landslides are also expected as the water level in the lake has increased to 3.1 feet in the last 24 hours.

Attabad lake swallows Shishkat

GILGIT: Water from the Attabad lake has completely submerged Lower Shishkat and partially flooded Gilmat, reports indicated on Tuesday.

However, the speed at which the lake’s water level was rising has slowed down because the lake is expanding upstream now, said Assistant Commissioner Hunza, Zamir Abbas. He said the water is still 8.4 feet short of the spillway, meaning that it will be another four days before water begins to stream out of the lake.

Attabad lake water likely to spill

An aerial view from a military helicopter of a natural dam caused by a landslide which passes through Sheeshgat village in Hunza.—Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The water level in Attabad lake is continuously increasing and spill is expected Friday.The distance between water and spillway is reducing sharply and the outflow is likely to occur tomorrow, private news channel reported.

On the other hand, rescue operation is geared up to evacuate the people from low-lying areas from both sides of the lake.—APP