GILGIT: Continuous rains triggering flashfloods and landslides have damaged 42 hydel power stations across the Gilgit-Baltistan region, disconnecting power supply to 90 per cent of the area, and damaging road infrastructure.

Reports pouring in here on Tuesday said two more drowned in the Indus River on Monday taking the death toll from floods and rains to five in the region.

Officials said floods damaged 26 power stations in Baltistan region, nine in Diamer and seven in Gilgit, adding that 90 per cent of the area, including the region’s capital Gilgit, had been without electricity supply for last four days.

Reports said thousands people were stranded in various villages in Ghanche, Diamer, Astore and Hunza-Nagar districts due to blockade of approach roads to different valleys and collapse of bridges.

Faizullah Faraq, a resident of Diamer, told Dawn that two people drowned in Indus River on Monday, adding the bodies had yet to be fished out. He said hundreds of homes in Thak, Niakote, Khinar and Dong areas of Diamer were damaged in the rains.

“Flashfloods have swept away water channels, hundreds of kilometers of fertile land and trees in the district,” he said.

Shamim Bughti, resident of Ghanche district, told this reporter on phone that flooding in rivers and nullahs and landslides during last ten days had damaged 180 homes in Dogani, Gawadi, Thala and Balgaar areas of the district.

Hussain Ali of Gilgit city said electricity suspension had paralysed routine life in the city.

Meanwhile, trade between Pakistan and China was also halted as flashfloods swept away a two kilometer section of the Karakoram Highway near Sost.

According to an official of the National Highway Authority, rehabilitation of KKH would be started after floods receded.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2015

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