"Hunza Disaster - Gojal" Karakoram Highway: The Glaciated Mother of Every Epic Drive!

[ToofaneBatameezi]

The thread is also dedicated to the disaster that struck this beautiful valley. Please join in to collaborate in anyway you can.




Jalopnik covered the Karakoram Highways of Pakistan. So I am sharing with you all. Feels good to see them love our Country!!



For the ultimate in road trips, choose the highest paved road in the world. The Karakoram Highway is 800 miles of mountain road connecting Pakistan with China across some of the tallest mountains in the world.



Take the one towering above that perilously vertical Pakistani art truck. It’s called Nanga Parbat and it’s the ninth highest mountain in the world. Also known as the Killer Mountain, its flanks have seen the death of a mountaineer for every four who have ascended its 26,660-ft peak. The highway is named after the Karakoram, the Western reach of the Himalayas, which span the confluence of India, Pakistan and China. Home to five of the fourteen eight-thousanders, the longest glaciers outside the polar regions and a vicious conflict between India and Pakistan fought in 20,000-ft mountain passes, it’s the perfect place for an epic road.




Stretching 800 miles between Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, and Kashgar, an ancient Silk Road city in China’s Wild West, the Karakoram Highway was constructed between 1966 and 1986, claiming a life for every mile.



Leaving Islamabad to the north, the road winds its way toward Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan territory. Between the towns of Chilas and Gilgit, it passes within 15 miles of Nanga Parbat, then snakes into ever more forlorn regions of Pakistan to top out at the 15,400-ft high Khunjerab Pass.



It’s the highest point on the road and the highest paved mountain pass in the world, home to yaks, Chinese border guards and snow leopards. The road continues for another 300 miles on the Chinese side, passes more huge mountains, skates the Taklamakan Desert, then arrives in Kashgar.



As you can imagine, driving its length is not a Sunday afternoon cruise on an Upstate New York parkway. For long stretches, the Karakoram Highway is a thin ribbon of a road blasted into mountain faces, crowded with trucks, taxis, motorcycles, 4×4’s and humans. There are landslides. There are avalanches. And in hot summers, meltwater from the glaciers floods the road.



At least the Pakistanis have the sense of humor required on roads that reach into the very clouds. “RELAX – SLIDE AREA ENDS,” proclaims this sign photographed in 1995, which makes one wonder about the precise nature of the SLIDE AREA itself.



I would love to conclude with a tale of a personal crossing, but that will have to wait. Should you find yourself in Pakistan with time to kill and a Jeep in your possession, give it a shot for all us plains-bound Jalopniques—and please post your tales of landslides, avalanches and scary mountains in the comments.



The Karakoram Highway: The Glaciated Mother of Every Epic Drive - Infrastructure - Jalopnik

[Basharatu]

[DeeDee]

@Basharatu.... thx for sharing.... where did you get these pictures boy???

i say "lets go"

@ToofaneBatameezi.... nice thread

[Basharatu]

@Basharatu.... thx for sharing.... where did you get these pictures boy???

i say "lets go"

@ToofaneBatameezi.... nice thread

I met few students who belonged Gojal, honestly I wasn't much aware of the crisis before yesterday, they referred me to there forum and I being a regular visitor of these places and KKH felt this as duty to raise there voice & I invite everyone who has been to these places or wish to go there and help them in this crisis situation.

@Toofane, I am greatful to you for changing the name of this thread and dedicating it to the victims of these valleys, its a great cause, may Allah shower his blessings on U.

[saadtn1]

Good Job in changing the theme of thread (y)
Sadly our media shows just politics and judicary B.S
Its sad to know how such brave, innocent and beautiful people are suffering.

[DeeDee]

Title:
Natural Disaster in Karakoram (Hunza) and its impact on Indus Basin

Where:
National Press Club, Islamabad
When:
March 2, 2010, Time: 20 PM
By Whom:
Sungi Development Foundation, Gilgit – Baltistan Human Rights Network, Progressive Youth Front
Who can attend?
Everyone is invited

@Bash.... Any update on seminar???

[Basharatu]

The second largest bridge on Karakuram Highway submerged tonight in the lake water between Shishkat and Gulmit, two of the largest settlements of Gojal valley. The bridge had already been closed for all sorts of traffic due to the dangers posed by wind and water.

With submergence of this strategic bridge the Shishkat village has now turned into a gulf, covered by water from three sides. Boat service is one of the options available for transportation of people and goods to Shishkat. FOCUS Pakistan and Aga Khan Foundation have also constructed a helipad at the village.

Gojal valley has been hit by a calamity but the government is still not taking full responsibility of the region by declaring it a calamity hit region.

[farooq05]

it is really sad to know all this, May Allah bless them all! appreciate for exposing this situaiton and raises the voices, i believe this will help!

[Basharatu]

[Basharatu]

It is really sad to know all this, May Allah bless them all. Appreciate for exposing this situation and raises the voices, I believe this will help!

@Farooq05, thank you for the kind words, people of Gojal needs this Support and prayers.

[Basharatu]

Good Job in changing the theme of thread (y)
Sadly our media shows just politics and judicary B.S
Its sad to know how such brave, innocent and beautiful people are suffering.

@Saadtn1, appreciate your Support on this. Media is all commercial these days.

Its huge dam & I would like to share brief history of the same area with the readers. in 1974, Shishkat was struck with Rock/Mud avalanche which blocked the Hunza river and a huge lake was formed towards Hussaini Gojal and that submerged the original Pak-China friendship Bridge between Gulmit and Shishkut later on the new bridge was constrcuted of which I picture posted yesterday & its no more as well . There was a new bridge under consutruction on the same place and chances of its survival in the current situation are not looking great. The magnitude of that avalanche was much smaller then the 1 hit on Jan 4, 2010 but the debastation it cuased to the upstream settlements was catastrophic causing human casualties and loss to properties and infrastructure. It blocked the Khunjhrav river, submerging the magnificent Pak-China Friendship Bridge.

The FWO was failed to handle that situation and the Chinese had to rebuild a portion of the KKH with the construction of the Shishkat Bridge which we recently lost.



Although it is a natural phenomenon for mountainous regions but the modern days tools are there to alert people of potential danger to their lives. Government, being the custodian for the safety of its citizens has to resettle the affected population and it is also important to the people to listen to authorities and institutions alerting for potential threats very seriously. People of Ataabad were given warning regarding this potential threat and offer of re-settlement but it is too hard to leave the place where 100 of years have been spent by the families in buliding water channels, planting fruit treas, making retain walls, this area is all mountain so land is previous and every inch of it is utlizied by the people up there to keep there ecnomic circle running!

[DeeDee]

[Basharatu]

Thank U DeeDee, you have always been a great help. This video was taken by Mr. Anayat Ali of Shimshal!

[DeeDee]

Bash this is something we need to see for ourselves and report back for further action....

[Libra]

@Basharatu
Thanks for sharing the link.
I just called a Senior Member in NHA, he told me the work has already started by army, 1st they were trying to blast it with torpedo but would have washed the villages. The water level last night was 198ft.
They think it will be normal in a weeks time.

[SuhaibKiani]

Basharatu, DeeDee, Libra,

Thanks for the posts and updates. Will watch this for further developments. In the meantime are there any updates from the talk in Islamabad? Is there anything that all of us can do to help at this stage?

Many Thanks,
SK

[Libra]

I wish i knew 4 days back(I was in ISB), would have visited that area.

[Basharatu]

@Basharatu
Thanks for sharing the link.
I just called a Senior Member in NHA, he told me the work has already started by army, 1st they were trying to blast it with torpedo but would have washed the villages. The water level last night was 198ft.
They think it will be normal in a weeks time.

Hanif Bhai, thank you very much for your support and updating us on this, by normal they mean that water will be restored to the original it had before disaster?

A local of Atabad told me today that the bridge seems to be lossing its ground after the water crossing, would Army be able to restore the same old 1?

[DeeDee]

Hanif bhai thanks for the updates but still a BIG ? stands to restore to its original or at least viable route to that area.... hope you could get some reliable information through your sources....

@SK.... sir we are only sharing that we know sitting here.... Basharat got some links with the guys of that area so i think information he is sharing is more reliable....

[Basharatu]

Basharatu, DeeDee, Libra,

Thanks for the posts and updates. Will watch this for further developments. In the meantime are there any updates from the talk in Islamabad? Is there anything that all of us can do to help at this stage?

Many Thanks,
SK

@SK, I have asked a friend (Nizar Noor) to get the updates on this and also share some assessment on the damage and things the people need there.

Following is shared by Parapilot on Shimshal thread, Shimshal was already a very remote area and people there lost live stocks due some changes in the climate in this winter, after this disaster Shimshal sounds like the remotest area & I would also like to push people to visit that beautiful valley as tourists are bread and butter for people up there and they are no coming from outside the country due to the current situation

parapilot[/B];2100520]Heart breaking to see the suffering of the people of Gojal and upper regions. We cannot control the nature but sure can help the people by providing all the support we can. Yesterday, on the way back from office and our information minister was on radio. One guy from Gojal called and said that they are not having any help from government. Initially there was a heli service but now it is gone. The boats are there but they operate at their will. Food has become a scarcity now and is available at a very high price.

The reply from our minister was, we know what is happening there. Shortage of food is not there, 8-10 boats and same numbers of Heli are there too.
Like he was there personally and have seen all this with his own eyes and the resident of that area is just lying........................

[parapilot]

Sir G,

I am having two weeks off from mid March and will be available if someone can come up with a plan. I am sure we will be able to generate enough fund to be helpful there.

Ehsan Kiayani (IJC) had done a tremendous job of supporting the displaced people of Swat region and we can take his guidance.