Karakoram Highway remains partially blocked due to landslides

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The Karakoram Highway remained blocked at several points in Kohistan area for eighth day on Wednesday due to continuous landslide triggered by heavy torrential rains last week.

Reportedly, the highway is blocked at six different points from Basham to Dasu.

Intermittent rains battered parts of the country, with the southwestern province of Balochistan and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa being worst hit.

Several link roads in Shangla district are shut due to falling of rocks from mountains at different points. People travelling from one city to another have been stranded while rescue teams are also facing serious difficulties in carrying out operations due to snowfall and inclement weather in the area.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had on Monday stated that deadly rains killed 121 people and destroyed 852 houses on the river banks and hilly areas.

Thatched or poorly-built houses particularly in rural areas are most susceptible to collapse during heavy spring rains.

Rains in March caused catastrophic damage in the mountainous areas. Thunderstorms at the start of the month caused immense damage to mud dwellings. The first stage of dreadful rains loosened the mountainous soil while the second stage caused land sliding destroying many houses and killing 121 people.

The NDMA had also recommended the improvement of irrigation and sanitation system in the hilly areas as well as measures to strengthen the river banks and control of water expansion. Several animals were also killed in the natural disaster.