The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) warning on Sunday for northern Pakistan. The alert highlights concerns that rising temperatures combined with intermittent rainfall may accelerate glacier melting, causing an increase in the volume and water levels of glacial lakes.
This advisory is particularly significant as thousands of tourists, many from Punjab and Lahore, visit the northern regions during the summer season. The PDMA cautioned that a sudden breach of glacial lakes could result in flash floods and rapidly rising waters, posing severe risks to human lives, property, and infrastructure.
District administrations in Upper Chitral, Lower Chitral, Upper Dir, Swat, Upper Kohistan, and Mansehra have been placed on high alert. Authorities have been instructed to maintain continuous surveillance of vulnerable sites, issue timely warnings, conduct evacuation drills in high-risk zones, and ensure the readiness of designated safe shelters.
Tourists and travelers have been advised to avoid unnecessary journeys, camping, and trekking in areas prone to flooding. Additionally, motorists are warned against attempting to cross fast-flowing streams or floodwaters, as strong currents can easily sweep vehicles away.
In a significant development, the PDMA explained that a GLOF occurs when a natural dam made of ice or loose rock containing a glacial lake fails suddenly. These events are often triggered by rising temperatures, heavy rainfall, or seismic activity, releasing large volumes of water downstream within a short time frame, causing potentially devastating floods.
