A critical situation confronting people in Hunza-Nagar and Gilgit after blockage of Hunza River and formation of an artificial dam due to massive landslide never emerged overnight, as research reports and analysis carried out in the recent years gave clear indications about potential threats, thanks to unusual ecological developments in the area.
Richard Hughes, Consultant Aga Khan Cultural Services, in his research report compiled in 2003 first raised the issue of cracks in the mountains of Attaabad and suggested various steps to avoid any untoward situation.
Unfortunately, the concerned authorities paid no heed to his suggestions and avoided taking necessary steps that might have helped in rectify the situation to some extent. Now the catastrophic situation has emerged and focus is to deal with it in a manner that can help avoid losses to life and property of the people who may have no role in degradation of ecological settings in the area.
More: Massive landslide ‘did not occur overnight’.
Front page story on The News: Hunza Lake water outflow exceeds 3,000 cusecs
Ismailimail 
One minor correction. Here and many places elsewhere, it is said that the landslide dam-created lake is “artificial.” This is the wrong word choice. It is not created by humans. It is a natural glacier and snow meltwater-fed river, and the landslide was natural, the blockage was natural, and the lake is natural. It is a temporary lake, not an artificial lake. The widespread use of the term “artificial” to refer to this lake appears to stem from the fact that there is a transient dam, which people associate with human-built dams. But this one is natural in every regard.
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