Islamabad: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a fresh Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) alert for vulnerable glaciated regions of Gilgit‑Baltistan, warning of the risk of flash floods, landslides, and further loss of life as heavy rains and thunderstorms continue to batter the mountainous north.
The latest alert, issued on Wednesday evening, comes just days after torrential rains and cloudbursts triggered devastating flash floods in Babusar Valley, sweeping away tourists and vehicles and leaving at least six people dead and several others missing.
According to the PMD, scattered rain, isolated heavy downpours and thunderstorms are expected in the coming days, intensifying the likelihood of GLOF events in Gilgit‑Baltistan’s high-altitude valleys.
The department urged all concerned agencies to remain on high alert and advised tourists and local communities to avoid travel to flood-prone areas until weather conditions improve.
The alert was circulated to key disaster response agencies, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Gilgit‑Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), Rescue 1122, and the Federal Flood Commission.
The warning follows a series of tragic incidents in recent weeks. Flash floods in the Babusar Valley and surrounding areas of Chilas and Skardu swept away vehicles and inundated roads, leaving more than 200 tourists stranded and cutting off access along the Karakoram Highway, Pakistan’s main artery to China.
Rescue teams, including the Pakistan Army, carried out large-scale evacuation operations using helicopters and military planes, managing to rescue dozens, while bodies of victims were recovered from debris-choked rivers and ravines. Officials fear that the death toll could rise further as search operations continue in remote valleys where communications and road links remain disrupted.
Since the onset of the monsoon season in late June, the country has recorded more than 260 deaths and over 560 injuries due to flooding and landslides triggered by unprecedented rainfall, with Gilgit‑Baltistan and parts of upper Khyber‑Pakhtunkhwa the hardest hit.
Experts warn that accelerated glacial melting, combined with intense cloudbursts, has dangerously swelled unstable glacial lakes across northern Pakistan, sharply increasing the risk of catastrophic GLOF events.
Climate scientists have repeatedly pointed out that such floods have become more frequent and severe in recent years, pointing to the devastating 2022 floods that killed over 1,700 people and displaced millions as a grim reminder of the country’s growing climate vulnerability.
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