PESHAWAR: A convergence of high temperatures and incoming rains has put northern Pakistan on high alert for catastrophic glacial flooding.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued an emergency advisory across Upper Chitral, Lower Chitral, Upper Dir, Swat, Upper Kohistan, and Mansehra, warning of a high risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
According to forecasts by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), elevated temperatures over glaciated valleys will coincide with a rainfall spell expected to start on Monday night, August 31, and continue through Friday, September 4.
The rise in temperature, along with moderate to heavy rain, is expected to accelerate the melting of snow and ice, causing water levels in mountain streams, rivers, and local canals to surge rapidly.
Pakistan has more glacial ice than any other country outside the polar regions across the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalayan ranges. While these vast ice reservoirs sustain the nation's freshwater supply, global warming has transformed them into a severe climate hazard.
Rapid melting due to rising temperatures worldwide has formed more than 3,000 glacial lakes in northern Pakistan, many of which are at a high of sudden outburst.
The primary danger of a GLOF lies in its unpredictability. When meltwater and heavy rain exert excessive pressure on fragile natural dams made of ice and loose glacial moraine, these structures can collapse suddenly. The sudden breach releases millions of tons of impounded water, generating high-velocity flash floods and triggering massive landslides, permafrost thawing, and heavy mudflows down mountain slopes.
Such torrents possess enough force to sweep away downstream settlements, destroy roads and bridges, cut off remote valleys, and devastate agricultural land.
To prevent loss of life and property, PDMA has ordered local administrations to monitor vulnerable sites, pre-position Emergency equipment, and conduct community evacuation drills in high-risk areas. Safe evacuation sites are being prepared, and emergency rescue departments have been placed on high alert.
Authorities are urging residents, travelers, and tourists to avoid trekking, camping, or going near riverbanks and fast-flowing water channels. Local communities are advised to move livestock to safe ground and remain vigilant for early warning signs, such as sudden changes in water color or grinding rock sounds.
Emergency updates and reporting remain active 24/7 via the PDMA toll-free helpline at 1700.