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  • On 17 July, Badswat and Bilhanz villages in Immit Valley in Gilgit-Baltistan were hit by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) which leads to the formation of an artificial lake and blocks road access for around 10 villages from the rest of the Immit Valley - photo: 26 July 2018.
    AKAH
  • Immediately after the disaster in July 2018, AKAH Pakistan's trained Disaster Assessment Response Team assessed the damages caused by the disaster and prioritised the immediate needs of the affected population.
    AKAH
  • Assistant Director, Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority, distributing food items prepared by AKAH amongst flood affected households in Badswat.
    AKAH
  • AKAH Pakistan’s staff working closely with the District Government and the Pakistan Army to provide relief to remote areas which are cut-off by GLOF through helicopter sortie.
    AKAH
  • Around 450 people displaced by the glacial lake outburst floods lived in temporary shelters provided by AKAH and the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority.
    AKAH
AKDN’s response to glacial lake outburst flood in Immit Valley in Gilgit-Baltistan

Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, 3 August 2018 - On 17 July, Badswat and Bilhanz villages in Immit Valley of Ghizer District in Gilgit-Baltistan were hit by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), which led to the formation of an artificial lake. As a result, over 40 houses were damaged and road access for around 10 villages was blocked from the rest of the Immit Valley. However, due to the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat’s (AKAH) ongoing awareness on disaster risk mitigation and the early mobilisation of the Community Emergency Response teams (CERTS), around 1,000 people were evacuated to safer areas prior to the disaster. No lives were lost because of the disaster. 

Immediately after the disaster, AKAH worked closely with the district government, the Pakistan Army and the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) to provide relief to households affected by the disaster. Helicopters of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Pakistan Army were used to provide food and non-food items, including medicines, tarpaulins and tents, to the affected villages on an emergency basis. A medical team from the Aga Khan Health Service, including a psychiatrist, was also mobilised. The team worked closely with the Government Health Department to provide medical services to over 90 patients.

Over 5,000 kg of food items were arranged by AKAH and together with the GBDMA.  Food packs were distributed to over 750 people to ensure adequate food supply to affected families for a month. In addition, AKAH also worked with the GBDMA to provide temporary shelters to around 450 people whose homes were damaged. Mr. Shuja Alam, the Deputy Commissioner for Ghizer, noted that the, “Government, Pakistan Army, agencies of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), and civil society organisations are working together in providing necessary relief to the affected households. With the help of helicopters from Pakistan Army and AKDN, supplies are also reaching remote areas which have been cut-off due to the floods.”