Debris blocks multiple sections of road; Locals provide shelter and food to travelers.
Excavators are digging up mountains of debris on the battered Karakoram Highway, where incessant rains, flash floods and landslides have left thousands of travelers stranded in Lower Kohistan for the past 72 hours. PHOTOS: EXPRESS
ABBOTTABAD:
Efforts to reopen the Karakoram Highway in Lower Kohistan began their second consecutive day on Wednesday, with the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) and local administration engaging in round-the-clock operations.
Persistent torrential rains for the last three days, from Besham to Pattan, have caused landslides in dozens of places. Flooding and massive debris flows have caused extensive destruction along the highway, leaving thousands of vehicles stranded and causing serious hardship to women, children and the sick.
Residents of nearby settlements in the affected areas provided humanitarian assistance to the stranded travelers by providing them with shelter, food and drinking water.
The last 72 hours of incessant rains have wreaked havoc across Lower Kohistan. From Sholgarah to Pattan, several stretches of the Karakoram Highway remain completely blocked due to heavy landslides, flooding and accumulated debris. Hundreds of vehicles were trapped along the route, while several were buried under falling debris. It should be noted that the occupants of said 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 food, snacks and temporary accommodation. Food and drinking water were also distributed free of charge to travelers at various points 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, supervising the relief and cleaning activities.
Authorities have expressed hope that the highway can be reopened to traffic this afternoon.
On the other hand, Lower Kohistan Deputy Commissioner Tariq Mahmood, accompanied by the district police officer, visited Jijal, where flash floods and landslides had completely blocked the Karakoram Highway the previous day.
Thanks to the DC’s intervention, machinery from FWO’s RMB 142 unit has been mobilized for road clearing operations, which are currently underway.
The DC and DPO reviewed the ongoing cleaning work at the site and issued necessary directions to the concerned officials to expedite restoration of traffic flow.
