Attabad Lake (Gilgit Baltistan)

 

In the Gojal Valley (Gilgit Baltistan) of Pakistan lies the very stunning Attabad Lake, which was created by a natural disaster in the year 2010. Also known as the Attabad Disaster, the lake here is one of the prime tourist attractions and tourists can often be seen enjoying jet skiing, fishing, boating and myriad other recreational activities.

A look at the clear blue colours of this stunning lake will make you feel like you are living in a poet’s dream. What adds to the natural beauty of the lake are the peaks of the Karakoram mountain range surrounding the region.

The flow of Hunza river was obstructed for about five months because of the landslide. This gave birth to a new lake altogether; soon water reached for over 21 km with a depth of over 100 m (330 ft). In no time, the water began flowing over the landslide dam and more than 170 houses, and 120 shops were flooded.

Months later, it became a full-fledged lake flowing along the narrow valley. Though it was created by a disaster, one can’t ignore the spectacular beauty it’s blessed with. The valleys of Gilgit and Hunza are already sprinkled with myriad pretty blue mountain lakes and this has only added to the beauty of the region.

Ten years later, now Attabad Lake is the reason for people’s livelihood in the region. It was soon after the tragedy that the lake started witnessing a massive flow of tourists, which gave birth to small hotels and guesthouses.