Glaciers throughout northern Pakistan have been melting at an accelerated tempo on account of record-breaking summer season temperatures, resulting in lethal flash flooding and landslides.
The floods and heavy monsoon rains have brought on devastation throughout the nation this summer season, killing a minimum of 72 folks and injuring greater than 130 because the rains started in late June.
Within the nation’s mountainous area of Gilgit-Baltistan, temperatures have risen as excessive as 48.5C (119.3F), which native officers described as unprecedented in a area that’s greater than 1,200 metres above sea stage and well-known for its snow-capped mountains. The earlier document was 47 levels, set in 1971.
The area, which spans the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram mountain ranges, has witnessed an acceleration within the melting of its glaciers up to now week.
It has led to the swelling of the native rivers and the formation of unstable lakes which have burst, triggering flash floods and landslides which have washed away villages and roads, chopping off some communities totally and leaving others with out energy or ingesting water.
The top of Gilgit-Baltistan’s catastrophe administration authority, Zakir Hussain, mentioned the area was going through a “very critical scenario” and described the quick formation of unstable glacial lakes as “extremely hostile” to folks’s security.
He mentioned these in some areas near the glaciers have been being evacuated from their houses. “We face a flood scenario in lots of areas,” he mentioned. “The rise of temperature has despatched a shiver down our spines. We’ve by no means earlier than witnessed such climate right here.”
He mentioned it may very well be just the start and that the area remained on excessive alert as warnings of excessive temperatures continued.
There are about 7,200 glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan, although their quantity and dimension has diminished over current years on account of the local weather emergency. The glaciers feed important river basins and are an important a part of Pakistan’s water provide.
Tariq Ali, a resident in Gilgit, mentioned the flash floods and excessive temperatures had devastated swathes of agricultural land, which most individuals relied on for his or her livelihoods.
“It’s like hell,” mentioned Ali. “There was no rain for fairly a while, we’re solely seeing heatwaves and are witnessing very critical ice-melting. I personally have by no means witnessed such summer season situations in Gilgit.”
Pakistan, with a inhabitants of 240 million, is likely one of the world’s most susceptible nations to the consequences of the local weather disaster, going through erratic rains and a excessive danger of floods and extreme heatwaves. . Devastating flash floods in 2022 killed a minimum of 1,700 folks and affected greater than 33 million.
Specialists say the nation could also be going through a repeat of the 2022 floods. Punjab province has recorded heavy rainfall in current days, leading to city flooding. The authorities have mentioned above-average rainfall will proceed within the coming days.
A household died whereas on vacation final month after they have been swept away by the Swat River in northern Pakistan after heavy rains and flash floods.
Pakistan’s former local weather change minister Sherry Rehman mentioned not sufficient was being achieved to arrange and defend the nation. “We’re on the epicentre of a world local weather polycrisis,” she wrote on X. “Pakistan is now primary in 2025 as essentially the most climate-impacted nation. That’s big. However do you see alarm bells ringing? I don’t.”