Karakoram Highway Blocked After Flash Floods Hit Lower Kohistan
The Karakoram Highway has been blocked in Lower Kohistan following flash floods that triggered multiple landslides along the mountainous corridor, disrupting a critical transport artery that connects Pakistan to China and serves as a lifeline for communities in Gilgit-Baltistan and KPK. The blockage has halted traffic flow in both directions, stranding vehicles and creating supply chain disruptions for the affected region.
Flash flooding in the area, driven by unseasonably intense rainfall, dislodged large volumes of debris and rock from the steep slopes flanking the highway. National Highway Authority teams have been dispatched to assess the damage and begin clearance operations, though the scale of the landslide deposits is expected to delay full restoration of traffic for several hours or longer.
The Karakoram Highway is among Pakistan's most strategically significant transport routes, serving both commercial and geopolitical functions as a core component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Any prolonged blockage directly impacts trade flows, fuel supplies, and civilian mobility in remote northern communities with limited alternative access routes.
Disaster management authorities in KPK have been placed on alert, with advisories issued to travellers to avoid the affected stretch until clearance is confirmed. Officials have warned that further precipitation in the region could complicate recovery efforts and risk additional slides.
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