• A key bridge connecting Pakistan and China was swept away by a flood.
  • The incident took place after a heatwave melted a glacier, releasing vast amounts of water.
  • Footage of the bridge's destruction was circulated online, renewing concerns about climate change.

A historic bridge connecting Pakistan and China was destroyed and swept away by forceful tides on Saturday after a severe heatwave melted a glacier and released torrents of water into a stream.

The Hassanabad Bridge in Pakistan, located along the strategic Karakoram Highway, collapsed after the country experienced record-high temperatures in April, which melted glaciers faster than normal, per The Washington Post.

According to AccuWeather, high-elevation sites in northern Pakistan recorded temperatures of around 80°F to 90°F over the past few weeks, while temperatures soared past 110°F at lower elevations. The temperatures are five to 10 degrees higher than average, the weather site said.

Dramatic videos circulated online this week show the bridge crumbling, with many social media users voicing their concerns about the disastrous effects of climate change.

 

Besides wiping out the bridge, the flash flood also damaged homes and buildings and swept away two power plants, according to Pakistani news outlet Dawn.

Over the past two months, Pakistan and its neighbor India have been hit by scorching weather, which has killed dozens of people in both countries.

Sherry Rehman, Pakistan's federal minister for climate change, said in late April that her country had skipped the spring season and had gone directly from winter to summer, per Reuters.

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