Erosion driven by the short climate the Karakoram road at the top of Hunza

A significant section of the Karakoram road (KKH) in the Morkhun area of Alto Hunza was destroyed by the erosion of the river on Friday, cutting the land link between Pakistan and China, said the Gilgit-Baltistan government (GB).

“The erosion of the river remains a key taxpayer to road blockages in the region,” said an expert in the cryiosfera. The express trustee. “Although KKH interruptions are not unusual, the current intensity of the river swelling and the damage scale is significantly higher.”

GB government spokesman Faizullah Faraq confirmed that the increase in river flow led to the erosion of a KKH section, making it impassable. Prime Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has directed the immediate restoration of the road.

Since June, Pakistan has faced severe sudden floods driven by clouds, the flood floods of the glacial lakes (Glof) and the heavy rains of the monsoon. GB remains among the worst affected areas due to its mountainous terrain and exposure to glacial fusion.

This event also reflects a change in the dynamics of the snow cover through the elevation areas in GB. The snow cover area (SCA) has been decreasing in lower elevations, where the key infrastructure is often found, including roads, the 2024-2025 winter report by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The loss of seasonal snow in these elevations results in an earlier and faster fusion, which makes the rivers swell faster than before.

At the same time, the permanent snow cover persists in higher elevations (above 5000 MASL), where glazed areas vary seasonally but show long -term contraction trends. In summer, the contraction of the snow layer coincides with the rain and the glof, multiplying hydrological stress in already fragile slopes and valley roads.

With the monsoon season and temperatures continue to increase, officials warned of more climate -related interruptions, urging residents and tourists to exercise caution and follow official warnings.

The data registered between 2001 and 2020 shows that surface temperatures (LST) have constantly increased year after year, with acute seasonal peaks in June, August and September, precisely the months in which the intensity of the monsoon and glacial runoffs reach its maximum. These heating trends have led to the removal of glaciers to lower elevations, which adds to the volume of fusion water in the rivers of the region. The increase in snow runoff and glacier in the summer months exerts immense pressure on the river banks, increasing the risk of sudden floods and erosion events, such as the one that cut the KKH.

Source: Winter Report 2024-2025 by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

Such hydrological changes result in severe erosion along the river banks, compromising the infrastructure and triggering landslides or washing that obstruct vital transport routes such as KKH.

The growing frequency and severity of such incidents point to the growing vulnerability of regional road networks to the hydrological changes induced by the climate.

This requires a combination of structural interventions and informed policy measures.

While the snow cover shows a decreasing trend in spring and summer, it temporarily increases during winter in higher elevations. These opposite trends to similar altitudes increase the unpredictability of runoff patterns, which makes it more difficult to anticipate the behavior of the river. Combined with the increase in LST, these changes are likely to exacerbate the frequency of floods, landslides and slope failures, which threaten essential infrastructure such as KKH. The glacial withdrawal is expected, especially in average rank elevations of 3000–4000 MASL, to continue unless the heating trends will be reversed, which aggravates vulnerabilities for natural and constructed environments.

“A key strategy is to carry out detailed studies of the dynamics of the river, including the transport of sediments, seasonal flows and possible changes in the course, and perform risk assessments before road construction,” said the expert in the cryiosfera.

“The incorporation of hydrological and geomorphological evaluations during planning stages can reduce exposure to such risks.”

“During the winter, when the river discharge is low, strategically redirects the flow of the river to the less populated and resistant areas can help to remodel the channels and reduce the pressure on fragile banks.

However, such interventions should be carefully designed to avoid ecological or geomorphological damage.