Hunza River (Urdu: دریائے ہنزہ) is the main river flowing across the Hunza Valley in the Pakistan-administered territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. It is formed by the confluence of the Chapursan and Khunjerab nalas (streams) which are fed by glaciers. It drains into the Gilgit River, which in turn flows into the Indus River.
| Hunza River | |
|---|---|
 Hunza river near Gulmit | |
 | |
   | |
| Location | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Province | Gilgit-Baltistan |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | |
• location | Gilgit River |
• coordinates | 35°55′N 74°22′E / 35.917°N 74.367°E |
Basin size | 13,733 km2 (5,302 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Danyor Gauging Station |
| • average | 323 m3/s (11,400 cu ft/s) |
Course
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The river cuts through the Karakoram Range, flowing from north to south. The Karakoram Highway (N-35) runs along the Hunza River Valley, switching to the Khunjerab River Valley at the point of confluence, eventually reaching the Khunjerab Pass at the border with China at Xinjiang.[1]
Hydrology
editThe catchment area of Hunza River is 13,733 km2 (5,302 sq mi) while its mean annual discharge is 323 m3/s (11,400 cu ft/s). It is a major tributary of Gilgit River.[1] The river is dammed for part of its route.[2]
The Attabad landslide disaster in January 2010 completely blocked the Hunza River. The blocked river created a lake — called the Attabad Lake or Gojal Lake,[3] which extended 30 kilometers and rose to a depth of 400 feet (approximately 122 meters).[4] The landslide completely covered sections of the Karakoram Highway.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 Rashid, Mehboob ur; Ahmed, Waqas; Islam, Ihtisham; Petrounias, Petros; Giannakopoulou, Panagiota P.; Koukouzas, Nikolaos (2023-05-08). "Impact of Climate Change on the Stability of the Miacher Slope, Upper Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan". Climate. 11 (5): 102. Bibcode:2023Clim...11..102R. doi:10.3390/cli11050102. ISSN 2225-1154.
- ↑ "Pictorial – Some spectacular photographs of the dammed Hunza River". Pamir Times. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ↑ "Gojal Lake Hazard", Pamir Times, Islamabad, 21 July 2015
- 1 2 Michael Bopp; Judie Bopp (May 2013). "Needed: a second green revolution in Hunza" (PDF). HiMaT. p. 4. Retrieved 26 November 2015. Karakorum Area Development Organization (KADO), Aliabad
External links
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Media related to Hunza River at Wikimedia Commons
Gilgit River basin marked on the OpenStreetMap, including the Hunza River basin.