Natural wonder that emerged from a natural disaster: Lake Attabad

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

There are many incredibly beautiful places on Earth. Among them there are those who simply fascinate with their beauty, recalling the lost earthly paradise. One of these natural wonders is Lake Attabad. Looking at the stunning bright blue colors of this beautiful lake, it would never occur to you that this divine beauty could have arisen as a result of a terrible catastrophe.

The purest lake with sky-blue waters is crowned by the peaks of the Karakorum mountain range in northern Pakistan. Who would have thought that there was a village on the site of this lake quite recently. The village of Attabad was located there - in the Hunza Valley, in the Gilgit Baltistan region, about 760 kilometers from Islamabad. People lived there very isolated. Until January 4, 2010, a real tragedy occurred, which buried the village of Attabad and claimed 20 lives.

A massive landslide destroyed the valley, blocked the Hunza River and formed a lake 100 meters deep. Until the summer of that year, several hundred more houses in the surrounding villages were destroyed. Houses were flooded due to the fact that the lake was overflowing. Local authorities excavated a spillway to direct the flow of the lake along a natural dam.

The history of the people living upstream of Attabad is not much different. After a landslide in January, they watched the river rise steadily. Water flowed into their villages and homes, forcing them to flee from the elements and move to higher lands. These people witnessed how much of the Karakorum highway plunged into the depths of water. This highway connects Pakistan with China and is the only means of communication for these people. The water completely cut them off from the outside world.

Since then, barges and boats have become the main means of transportation in this region. An embankment was formed due to a landslide. Now it is she who serves as a pier for water transport. He lands here to unload passengers from the upper mountain villages and goods from China. Every day, dozens of people practically hang at the pier, waiting for the boats to arrive. Behind them, the waters of Lake Attabad spilled over.

The water streams of the lake extend from there for more than 18 kilometers into the distance. Its depths engulfed two villages and partially flooded a third. The fact that this is undoubtedly the tragedy of this area does not negate the fact that the resulting landscape is mesmerizing with beauty. When viewed from a boat, the sight is so stunning that it is breathtaking. “Do you see these houses just above the waterline?” Says Colonel Ghulam Ali, a passenger on the boat, pointing to several scattered structures on the hillside. “This is what remains of the village. Iyenabad. Most of it is now under water. When there was no lake, people who drove along the highway below often wondered why it was necessary to build houses so high in the mountains. Now it makes sense."

Colonel Ali's village, Shishket, is a short distance upstream of Ayenabad. Shishket also went under water, except for a few houses. "Before, Shishket seemed like a star in the sky to everyone, but now he is at eye level," says the colonel. The landslide caused a powerful earthquake. It crashed into the mountains and filled the valley. Stones from the rocks and mud streams from the peaks filled the catchment area of the Khunza River. The river quickly overflowed its banks and created a new lake. As a result, more than six thousand people lost not only their homes, but all their property. More than 20 kilometers of the highway connecting the inhabitants of the region with the rest of the world was destroyed.

Over the next five months following the disaster, Lake Attabad expanded to 21 kilometers in length. The water rushes down a narrow valley like a giant blue snake. It complements the breathtaking beauty of the Gilgit and Hunza valleys, which are dotted with dozens of stunningly beautiful turquoise mountain lakes, making Lake Attabad a major tourist attraction. Beautiful hotels and guesthouses have been built around it. Various entertainment events are held for tourists. On the lake they ride boats, jet skis, fish. The scenic area is attractive and popular for visitors.

The local population perceives, of course, this is not so rosy. Considering how they suffered from the landslide, this is completely understandable. After all, a natural disaster completely destroyed the life of four villages - Ayenabad, Shishkat, Gulmit and Gulkin. In addition, the raging elements destroyed beautiful orchards with century-old apple trees. Buddhist relics, mosques and temples drowned in the water. The beautiful wooden houses with carved columns are also completely submerged.

The army evacuated the local population to the neighboring valley, people lost everything that was their way of life. What is fun for tourists is a huge problem for locals. It is good to make a pleasant voyage on a wooden boat when it is a pleasure trip, and not when it is a necessary necessity. Now that the Karakorum highway has been launched along the lake shore, the life of ordinary people in the region has returned to normal. Only memories and the wonderful Lake Attabad, the azure waters of which give hope for all the best, remind of the tragedy experienced. If you are interested in the topic of unusual lakes, read our article Retba is a pink lake that feeds and destroys the local population. Based on materials