Attabad Lake: Water overspill continues

The water level in Hunza Lake has further increased and lake boundaries are more like to be destroyed due to immense pressure of water; whereas the water is making its way through land near the spillway. More than twenty villages have also been evacuated because of flood warning issued.Meanwhile, Dunya News team, which is in Hunza today to assess the situation, has been reviewing the red zone and the spillway along with National Disaster Management Team. The aerial view is being taken by NDMA to rescue the people trapped around. The inflow of water to the lake was 3,000 cusecs while the seepage at spillway was about 150 cusecs. Everyday, the water level of lake is increasing by 3ft per day. The villages of Tehsil Gujral have been mostly affected due to this situation. As many as two hundred houses have been so far destroyed due to which thousands or local people have been displaced. The intermediate examinations have also been cancelled in Hunza due to overflowing of Hunza Lake. It is more likely that Ahmadabad, a village in Hunza will be the first one to get affected by the flood and after that will be Faizabad. And this flood will then move towards the area of Gunsh and eventually enter Hunza.Chairman NDMA Lt. Gen Nadeem Ahmed has said that complete monitoring of Attabad Lake is being done and the situation is under control so far; however increase in outflow of water can also destroy the mountains. The number of helicopters used for rescuing people has also been increased, he added.Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah has said that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has ordered that all the educational expenses of children blonging to Gojal Tehsil will be covered by the government.He also said that the affected people are being provided by all the necessary facilities inside the campus; where as eatables, medicines and necessary items are being sent to upper Hunza through helicopters. Judicial inquiry regarding the lake overflowing issue is also fully supported; however China should not be involved for working in re-developing the affected areas due to lake overflowing because Pakistan has enough experts who can manage it, he added.