"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]

Its a great cause & yes we can do it.

There are few questions of whom I am searching the answer and this will be helpful for our planning, I have engaged few friends and few local of atabad, pls see if you can help out in this and add more to the list!

1- What are the optimistic time-line for restoring the water flow of Hunza River?
2- What would be the new water level?
3- Would the old bridge will work or new will be required? (there was 1 under construction)
4- How long would it take to resume the road connections?
5- How many families are on the other side of water (Shimshal's side)?
6- What are immediate needs of them? (Food, Shelter etc.)
7- How many boats are there?
8- Do they need more boats? Or Funding for fuel will do the job? If Fuel can do then how much they need?

After getting the answer of above we can plan something!

[parapilot]

Spoken with Wajahat Malik (travel guide of Pakistan) and he is leaving for Hunza tomorrow.
He is going with some media guys and will be at Gulmit and Hunza.

Once the situation/requirement is clear, he will be calling to advice what is required.
Will keep you guys posted on this thread.

Thread subscribed.

[DeeDee]

@parapilot.... thats great now we only have to assess what to do and how much we gonna need.... i know you have some contacts in that area so better gather some information as well....

@Bash.... lets see what information you can share to layout a plan....

@Suhaibkiani.... sir definitely need you to lead us....

[9BL]

This is absolutly Beautiful Stunning

[Libra]

I will try to get more info by tommorrow.

[Basharatu]

@parapilot, Wajhat would be a great help in getting the answer of queries above. How's he moving? KKH? As there were not much flights in the last week to gilgit.

@DeeDee, Shuaib and all involved, appreciate your help for this great cause.

Special thanks to Hanif bhai for raising the voice.

[parapilot]

He is going on a helicopter tomorrow. Flight is subject to weather.

[incognito59]

what a tragedy

[fihsak]

@Bash
any chances of visiting the valley for relief activities?
G4 is beside U
@DeeDee
Wats ur call?

[Sarosh_Ather]

thnx for sharing the pix n info!
may our country prosper!
[] C*]

[nomi1234]

Basharat, thank you for highlighting such an important matter of most urgent nature. you'll find many willing to help. please organize relief effort or anything that could be done.
Kadam barhao.. ham tumhare saath hain.

Also thanks to everyone else involved in the noble cause.. parapilot, deedee, Libra, SK etc

[saadtn1]

Its a great cause & yes we can do it.

There are few questions of whom I am searching the answer and this will be helpful for our planning, I have engaged few friends and few local of atabad, pls see if you can help out in this and add more to the list!

1- What are the optimistic time-line for restoring the water flow of Hunza River?
2- What would be the new water level?
3- Would the old bridge will work or new will be required? (there was 1 under construction)
4- How long would it take to resume the road connections?
5- How many families are on the other side of water (Shimshal's side)?
6- What are immediate needs of them? (Food, Shelter etc.)
7- How many boats are there?
8- Do they need more boats? Or Funding for fuel will do the job? If Fuel can do then how much they need?

After getting the answer of above we can plan something!

I am not an architect or civil engineer.... But I know very little about construction and stuff!!! The submerged bridges might be used again, but engineers will survey its reusability and then they will come up with a decision. Many factors should be considered e.g the amount of force the water was putting on the bridge etc. Remember, bridges are not easy to destroy. They are really tough engineering marvels. Let’s hope and pray that hunza people won't suffer more ...fficeffice" />
One more thing, if anyone has visited these places will not doubt the hardships that engineers and laborers will face while restoring the area. All the best to FWO and Chinese friends....

[DeeDee]

@Bash
any chances of visiting the valley for relief activities?
G4 is beside U
@DeeDee
Wats ur call?

@fihsak.... we are already in.... just waiting for the update from Wajahat Malik to proceed.... ANYTHING FOR PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN...

@nomi1234.... appreciate your concern....

[DeeDee]

@Bash
any chances of visiting the valley for relief activities?
G4 is beside U
@DeeDee
Wats ur call?

@fihsak.... we are already in.... just waiting for the update from Wajahat Malik to proceed.... ANYTHING FOR PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN...

@nomi1234.... appreciate your concern....

[Basharatu]

@fihsak.... we are already in.... just waiting for the update from Wajahat Malik to proceed.... ANYTHING FOR PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN...

@nomi1234.... Appreciate your concern....

Yes please, we are waiting for updates & Parapilot will keep us posted on the same & we will organize and plan accordingly.

Thank U Noman, yes we need more hands to Save Gojal!

@Parapilot, what's Wajahat status, weather didn't looked promising in the Morning but its all clear now. I hope his heli took the flight!

I have also taken the weather updates for next 1 week and it is much better in Gilgit as compared to the last week. PIA's flights are over booked till next Saturday for Gilgit. However, there is chance to get the name entered in the waiting list for Skardu's flight on coming Saturday, it will require another 6 Hours drive to Gilgit, 3 hours to Hunza and 35min to the Lake (these are approximate calculations, pls rectify incase of any error).

Going by Air is the most feasible thing to do but the flights there are subject to weather and cancellation rate is around 50%.

[Basharatu]

Following was updated on www.pamirtimes.net
by Muhammad Ali (shishkat Village)

March 4
As we are all well a wear about the ongoing disaster because of the Lake at Hunza river,
Shishkat village is the 1st victim of the deadly lake which is gradually reaching Gulmit, Gulkin Hussaini and up to Passu.
There were several press conferences demonstrations by different political and social organizations and the government has not yet taken any notice and serious step to release the Hunza River Water.
The suggestions from the Japanese professor, to create a breach with the help of powerfull gesso pumps, was delivered to the High level army officials and because of there lack of interest they refused to implement this proposal.


There is shortage of food and medicines and other basic items.
Boat services have been limited to few trips in recent days to save extra expenses we get information from reliable resources.
Now there is a Question from all of you
Weather you will all remain silent and become the victim of the ignorance of the government and the media?
Will all our institution will remain inactive and do nothing for the affected people?
Is there any way to involve the international organization, UN, ICRC, Human rights organization?
In my opinion we should work out on the following options
1-Conduct a conference for all the international organization, UN agencies, NGO’s and head of Embassies of major countries at Serena Hotel
2- Motivate electronic Media to highlight this issue
3-Approach Supreme court of Pakistan and request for enquiry about the ignorance
4-involve China government to work out on the release of water as FWO and NDMA are not capable to handel such a huge disaster
5-with the help of political parties force the government to declare Gojal valley Disaster Hit Area
6-with the help of international organizations, donor agencies and with the help of local people of Gojal valley try to install few pumps to pump up water from upstream to down stream so we can control the rising level of water as we have been assured from some NGO’s that they are willing to donate for the purchase of pumps.
These are some task we can work out to save our homeland from forever destruction.
By: Mahmood Ali, (shishkat Village)

[Basharatu]

Main source for this is also Pamirtimes, this was updated on December 14, 2009, shows some history of the area & slide!

People forced to live in huts, village declared risky to live, no rehabilitation plan yet! by Shamsuddin Hunzai


Attaabad, a beautiful hamlet, is located at a distance of 760 Kilometers from the federal capital, and about thirty kilometers from Aliabad, the main town of Hunza valley. It is located at a distance of 55 kilometers from the Karakuram Highway, above Sarat village on a steep slope in Central Hunza. Continuous land movement for the past four years has made houses pitched on mountain slopes of Attaabad risky for people of live in. The government had asked the people to vacate Attabad and they lived for months in Tents and huts in a nearby location...The inhabitants of Attabad village claim that the first cracks appeared in the land when a high magnitude earth quack waves hit the village in 1994, causing a land mass to shift place, 1000 feet above the residential cluster. The cracks began to widen when the upper land mass stated to move, causing land sliding and uneven leveling of land. As a result, the human settlement was badly affected as houses of about twenty six developed cracks and agricultural land property of sixty six families was destroyed. The families were forced to leave the hamlet. The situation became more serious when the earth quake on October 8, 2005 shook the entire region and intensified the movement of rocks, destroyed houses...Reports like that of Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) have declare the area a potential threat, at the verge of complete destruction. These reports have recommended for public safety, animal and agricultural property...When closely observed, the eastern part of the village is gradually moving, causing enlargement of cracks and a main reason for slope failure. Dozen of residential houses and cattle shelters have been destroyed due to recent slope failure. The bed rock is completely fractured and jointed through tectonic process in the area. Heavy pieces of rocks have started to slide down...While, the hydrological factors have caused the movement and intensified slope failure as water during rain and snow melt enters the rocks. The movement in network of cracks in the area can be a future calamity and loss of any human life will be a great mistake on part of both conscious minds of the region and government simultaneously.
It is pertinent to mention that on advice of few narrow-sighted and politically immature elders, the population boycotted the election in a hope to get notice of the rest of masses of Hunza. Yet, the strategy seems irrational, as participation in democratic processes is the first step towards resolution. It is expected that the ruling party will do some thing irrespective of their attitude in terms of boycott only for the welfare of humanity.
It is right time for the two representatives of Hunza, Wazir Baig, speaker of GBLA, and Mutabiat Shah, technocrat, to take serious notice of the plight of people of Attabad and work towards seeking permanent solutions for the human suffering in Attabad.
So yet again we have multiple fatalities occurring on a slope with known stability issues. This is a tragic start to the New Year.

Note the large tension cracks, with displacement, running across the slope.

[Basharatu]

[Basharatu]

[Basharatu]

Last Pictures is showing KKH under water, first picture showing the water barrier taken from heli (Courtesy the photographer of Pamirtimes)