KARACHI: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has announced to install a temporary bridge at Hunza’s Hassanabad after an RCC bridge was swept away by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), ARY News reported on Sunday.
Following the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the NHA chairman along with engineers paid an emergency visit to the site of the affected Hassanabad bridge in Hunza Valley.
The NHA spokesperson said that the Hassanabad bridge was completely destroyed, whereas, the government decided to install a temporary bridge within a month.
The construction of a new bridge in Hassanabad will be completed within six to eight months, said the spokesperson, adding that the NHA experts started design work for the new bridge.
Yesterday, horrific footage surfaced that showed the moment the RCC bridge collapsed in Gilgit’s Hunza Valley.
The RCC bridge constructed in Hassanabad village of Gilgit’s Hunza Valley had collapsed after the scaffolding due to water flow from a glacier.
The bridge can be seen collapsing in the video, however, no casualty or property damage was reported so far as per the police statement.
Police said that relief activities have been started following the incident.
GLOF predicted
The temperature in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is expected to remain 07-09°C higher above normal for the coming 5 to 6 days creating a heat wave type situation in glaciated regions of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), according to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
It is more likely that this heatwave condition will enhance the melting rate of snow and ice which may trigger Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) events and flash floods in the vulnerable area of G-B and KP.
Specifically, the probability of GLOF triggering episodes from Shishper lake reformed in December 2021 has increased.
The role and activities of district governments, relevant local organizations and local communities are advised to remain more vigilant and observe precautionary measures.
