Debris blocks several highway sections; local people provide shelter, food to travelers
Excavators cut through mountains of debris on the battered Karakoram Highway, where relentless rain, flash floods and landslides stranded thousands of travelers across Lower Kohistan over the past 72 hours. PHOTOS: EXPRESS
ABBOTTABAD:
Efforts to reopen the Karakoram Highway in Lower Kohistan entered their second consecutive day on Wednesday, with the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) and the local administration engaged in round-the-clock operations.
Sustained heavy rains over the past three days, from Besham to Pattan, have triggered landslides at dozens of places. Flooding and massive debris flows have caused widespread destruction along the highway, leaving thousands of vehicles stranded and causing serious problems for women, children and the sick.
Residents of nearby settlements in the affected areas extended humanitarian assistance to stranded travelers by providing shelter, food and drinking water.
The last 72 hours of relentless rainfall has wreaked havoc on Lower Kohistan. From Sholgarah to Pattan, several sections of the Karakoram Highway remain completely blocked due to heavy landslides, floods and accumulated debris. Hundreds of vehicles have been trapped along the route, while several were buried under falling debris. Remarkably, the occupants of these vehicles escaped unharmed.
Thousands of stranded passengers, including women, children and the sick, were accommodated by local residents in nearby hujras and other shelters, where they were provided with meals, refreshments and temporary accommodation. Free food and drinking water were also distributed to travelers at several places along the highway.
Meanwhile, personnel from the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) have deployed heavy machinery to restore the road network. District administration officials and police contingents are also present at the affected places and are monitoring relief and clearance activities.
Authorities have expressed hope that the highway can be reopened to traffic this evening.
Separately, Deputy Commissioner Lower Kohistan Tariq Mahmood, accompanied by the District Police Officer, visited Jijal, where flash floods and landslides had completely blocked the Karakoram Highway the previous day.
Due to DC’s intervention, machines from FWO’s 142 RMB unit have been mobilized for road clearing operations which are currently underway.
The DC and DPO reviewed the ongoing clearance work at the site and issued the necessary instructions to the relevant officials to expedite the restoration of traffic flow.
