A vital bridge on the Karakoram Highway that connects Hunza Valley to the rest of the country has been repaired.
The existing bridge in Hassanabad was damaged on May 7 by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), which resulted in high water quantum and velocity (more than 10,000 cusecs).
The flooding destroyed the bridge, cutting off direct access to central and upper Hunza. Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) teams were mobilized at the site to re-establish the link at Karakoram Highway (KKH) by installing a temporary steel bridge due to the emergent nature of national importance and to facilitate commuters.
The FWO teams worked tirelessly to complete the construction of a temporary steel bridge, which is now open for light and medium traffic movement.
The permanent bridge reconstruction will take six to eight months to complete.
