Hunza Lake Crisis

Hunza River is the principal river of Hunza, in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. It is formed by the confluence of the Kilik and Khunjerab nalas (gorges) which are fed by glaciers. It is joined by the Gilgit River and the Naltar River before it flows into the Indus River. The river cuts through the Karakoram range, flowing from north to south. The Karakoram Highway crosses the Hunza River near Hunza and Nagar valleys.

Landslides in Hunza river are common due to proximity of the glaciers. However, in 2010, this natural phenomenon is transformed into a calamity as abrupt land movements have created a lake near Atabad village, 15 Km north of central Hunza, of Gilgit-Baltistan region. With roads submerged and communication links broken, lives of hundreds of village dwellers are in acute danger.

Water level increasing, dam to break due to pressure, flash flooding feared: The water level in Hunza Lake has further increased and lake boundaries are more like to be destroyed due to immense pressure of water; where as the water is making its way through land near the spillway. More than twenty villages have also been evacuated because of flood warning issued. [Dunya News]

The inflow of water to the lake was 3,000 cusecs while the seepage at spillway was about 150 cusecs. Everyday, the water level of lake is increasing by 3ft per day. The villages of Tehsil Gujral have been mostly affected due to this situation. As many as two hundred houses have been so far destroyed due to which thousands or local people have been displaced. The intermediate examinations have also been canceled in Hunza due to overflowing of Hunza Lake. It is more likely that Ahmadabad, a village in Hunza will be the first one to get affected by the flood and after that will be Faizabad. And this flood will then move towards the area of Gunsh and eventually enter Hunza.

Water spillage started from Hunza Lake: Water began seeping out from a lake formed by a landslide in north Pakistan into a spillway on Saturday, officials said, who added that the next one or two days are critical to avoid catastrophic flooding. [Reuters]

If the spillway doesn’t contain the water and the landslide dam bursts, authorities fear the heavy flooding could wash away many villages, bridges and roads, affecting up to 50,000 people.

The Pakistan military created a spillway to drain the 19 km (12 miles) long and 360-feet deep lake.

Nearly 30,0000 villagers have already been relocated to 24 camps.

Before the flow of water began, the lake had already swamped at least four upstream villages, displacing nearly 6,000 people, according to aid workers and residents.

The lake has also submerged a 22-km stretch of the Karakoram Highway, a trade route for a significant portion of Pakistan’s consumer goods from China.

A leading trader in the region said the losses from the disaster already amounted to 1.5 billion rupees ($17.8 million), about a quarter of the annual two-way trade along the highway.
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From Pakistan Red Crescent Society’s update on Hunza Lake Crisis situation:

A massive landslide hit Hunza District on Monday 4th January 2010. This was followed by rolling boulders and rocks, sliding two villages including Attaabad into the Hunza River. This resulted in blocking Shahra-e-Karakorum (KKH) and the Hunza River. People got displaced and Upper Hunza got cut-off. According to initial reports, over 2,500 people were affected and out of these 1,673 men, women and children have been settled in camps set up in four schools in Altit and the rest with host families. At least 15 people have been killed and infrastructural damage is reported to have affected 260 houses.

Debris blocking the Hunza River created an artificial dam which has reached dangerous height and breakage is expected. Potential overflow/outburst is expected to displace more people. Since access by road is impossible during the last couple of months, the relief goods were being transported through boats.

Existing situation of Dam / Lake:

– Total height of landslide from top to bottom: 418 feet
– Total water deposit: 340 feet
– Distance left to reach Spillway (height left) : 25 feet
– Daily water rise in the lake per day : 2.7 feet
Expected date of overflow: 25-28 May 2010

IDP Camps

Shishkat Village Camp (Upper Stream): Govt. High school at Shishkat has turned into an IDP camp by the
local authorities. The position of IDPs in this camp as reported by PRCS Disaster Management (DM) Cell Hunza is, as follows:

Shishkat Village, 113 families, 1,190 people
Gulmit Village, 14 families, 98 people

Altit Hunza Camp (Down Stream): 141 families of Attabad, Salmanabad and Sarat are residing in 4 camps setup by the local Government in school/colleges of Altit.

How you can help:

Besides sending cash through below mentioned charity organizations, you can support by providing following commodities. Please do not donate old/expired stuff. Make sure edible items are hygienic and properly packed.

– Clothing: Clothes of various sizes, Beddings, Shoes
– Utensils: Jerricans (large plastic cans that hold 20 liters of water or other liquids), Crockery, Buckets
– Toiletries: Tissues, Soaps, Dettol (antibacterial cleaners), Towels
– Food: Rice, Sugar, Flour (Atta), Onions, Potatoes, Cooking oil, Tea, Milk (tetra packs or powder), Safe drinking water, Cooked Food

Medicines:

1. Water purification tablets.
2. Life saving drugs.
3. Vaccines for malaria, cholera, typhoid, influenza.
4. Pain killers including strong ones like morphine derivatives, tremadol, pethadine, kinz .
5. Antibiotics e.g. tetnus, amoxil, gentamycin.
6. IV cannulas
7. IV Drip sets
8. IV drips: normal saline, ringerlactate
9. Local anesthetics (injections)
10. Cotton bandages, cotton.
11. Surgical instruments: e.g needle holders, forceps, tweezers.
12. Suturing materials, Skin staples.

Charity Organizations and in Pakistan:

Al-Khidmat Foundation: Donate here.

Edhi Foundation: Donate here.

Pakistan Red Crescent Society: PRCS has offices in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Muzaffarabad. [Contact Information]

International Charity Organizations:

Islamic Relief USA: Donate here.

United Nation’s World Food Programme: Donations are tax deductible for number of countries. [donation link]

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