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GB people alerted to landslides, avalanches

2017-01-26
GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) on Wednesday issued an alert about possible landslides and snow avalanches in remote areas of the region during next three days, advising people living in upper reaches to take precautionary measures.

According to GBDMA, as the Met office has predicted more snowfall and rain in GB in next three days, change of weather pattern was expected, which may trigger landslides and snow avalanches. Therefore, the alert said, people in remote areas needed not to travel near mountains and rivers.

Meanwhile, upper areas of Gilgit-Baltistan received more snow on Tuesday and Wednesday, paralysing normal life.

As electricity generation from power houses decreased due to reduced water flow in rivers, region also faced long power suspensions. The situation in Skardu is particularly disturbing as the region has been facing power suspension for last five weeks. Locals are also facing shortage of water.

Snow has also blocked link roads in upper Astore, Diamer, Ghizer, Ghanche, Nagar and Hunza districts, cutting them of f from rest of the region.

Vehicular traffic on Karakoram Highway between Gilgit and Rawalpindi was suspended due to landslides at three points on Wednesday. Frontier Works Organisation sources told Dawn that heavy landslides blocked the road at Lal Pari near Gilgit, Kiyal, Dasu and Barsin in Pattan of Kohistan district.-Correspondent