Karakoram Highway blocked at several points due to landsliding from heavy rains

Passengers traveling to and from Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad were stuck on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) on Wednesday as heavy rains caused landslides that blocked the main road at several points in Kohistan.

Snowfall and rain continue across the northern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan and have paralysed life in the area. Various parts of Swat, Dir Upper, Chitral, Shangla, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan, Abbottabad received heavy snowfall while Hunza, Skardu, Ghizar, Diamer and almost all GB districts were covered with a snow blanket as it continued to fall for the third consecutive day which also dropped mercury in the region.

Raja Ashfaq Tahir, spokesperson to Diamer police, told media.com that the KKH was blocked at two different points between Dasu and Diamer with passengers stranded on both sides as work to reopen the road continued.

“Bhasha to Raikot section has been opened which was also blocked last night due to landsliding as rain continues in the area. The road now is blocked in the Lotar area of Upper Kohistan,” the Diamer police spokesperson said.

In Dasu, Upper Kohistan Additional Deputy Commissioner Khuram Rehman Jadoon told media.com he booked a hotel owner for fleecing stranded passengers on the KKH who complained to the administration.

ADC Khuram Rehman informed the stranded passengers about the road blockade and assured that the Kohistan administration would be on call if they needed any help.

He warned hotel owners that overcharging stranded passengers would not be tolerated and prompt legal action would be taken in such instances.

Rehman said work to clear the road continued but consecutive showers hampered the debris removal, however, it was expected the road would open by night. He said over 200 families were accomdated in Dasu Rural health Centre.

Tahir told media.com that a landslide occurred in Diamer’s Hodar area, blocking the KKH again in the district.

He said machinery had been moved to the area for debris removal to open the affected portion of the KKH.

Shangla Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Fawad Khan also issued an advisory to passengers that heavy snowfall caused a portion of the Bisham-Swat Road to cave in where a vegetable supplier vehicle also fell down and the vehicle driver was injured.

He urged the people to avoid traveling on the road.