ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s meteorological authority on Saturday issued a warning of imminent Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the high mountains of the north, even as monsoon-driven floods ravage Punjab, displacing hundreds of thousands and inundating towns, roads and farmlands.
GLOF, sudden surges of water released when glacial lake barriers collapse, can unleash torrents through downstream valleys. This monsoon, GLOFs have already destroyed infrastructure and stranded tourists across Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid relentless rains and flash flooding.
“The hydro-meteorological data from the stations installed at Arkari, Badswat, Darkut, Hisper Hoper, Ghundus and Gulkin under GLOF-II Project indicates a significant rise in temperature values, much higher than normal, which may accelerate glacier melt,” the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said. “There is an increased probability of GLOF and flash floods in the aforementioned locations in particular, and in other areas generally.”
The GLOF-II Project monitors glacier-fed basins in northern Pakistan, including Arkari in Chitral, Badswat and Darkut in Ghizer, Hisper Hoper in Nagar, Ghundus in Shigar and Gulkhin in Hunza, aiming to detect early warnings of glacial melt–induced flooding.
