GILGIT: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) in Islamabad on Wednesday warned of possible triggering of Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) events and flash floods in the vulnerable snow and glaciated areas of Gilgit-Baltistan during this week.

According to a GLOF alert issued by the PMD, high temperatures in GB are expected to persist for two to three days, followed by spells of rainfall during the week.

It stated that the flows of river streams will increase, and the relevant local organisations and communities are advised to rem­ain vigilant and observe precautionary measures during this period.

Syed Mujtaba Hussain, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), who is also the National Project Director of the GLOF-II Project, stated that over 3,000 lakes have alarmingly risen as a consequence of melting glaciers in the northern region of Pakistan, mostly in GB, and among these, 36 lakes have been identified as potentially hazardous due to the risk of GLOFs.

During his visit to GB, Mr Hussain said that in response to this critical situation, the ministry has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and secured financial support from the Green Climate Fund to implement the GLOF-II project.

“Valued at $36 million, the GLOF-II project is dedicated to Scaling-Up Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Risk Reduction in Northern Pakistan,” he added.

“The GLOF-II Project has undertaken multifaceted initiatives, including the Small-Scale Flood Mitigation, Repair Main­tenance and Renovation of Water Channels, Construc­tion of Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Centres and the Establishment of Safe Heavens.”

“Moreover, the installation process of Early Warning Systems was also reviewed, a crucial aspect of the project designed to provide timely alerts to communities in the event of impending disasters,” said Abdul Basit, Regional Coordinator of GLOF-II Project.

GB Chief Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani appreciated the collaborative efforts and initiatives being taken for building community resilience and awareness.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2023