Daily Times

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Tuesday said Pakistan was enhancing its resilience against glacial lake outburst flood risk in its Northern Areas due to melting of the glaciers with rising increase in temperature.

The SAPM said the country was among the top 10 vulnerable countries due to climate change as it was facing the adverse impacts of environmental degradation in the shape of recurring phenomenons of natural disasters.

Amin in a video message explained the risk level of the country amid glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) events and the mitigation measures to reduce damage and destruction caused to the local communities and infrastructure.

He said, “The country possesses the third largest reserve of freshwater in the Northern Areas which is referred to as the third pole globally.”

The glacial lakes, he said, were formed due to rapidly melting glaciers mainly because of rising temperature amid global warming.

“The glacial lakes formed in the Northern Areas have increased five times. From just 30 in 2015, within just three years in 2018 there have been 150 glacial lakes formed in the North,” Amin said.

He said keeping in view the GLOF risk a US$40 million UN funded project was launched to install early warning systems which was aimed to educate and aware masses about the glacial melting induced floods and preparation to ensure safe evacuation and less damage to both humans and infrastructure.

While elaborating the GLOF phenomenon, Amin said once temperature rises in the Northern Areas at the onset of summer season, the glacial lakes were formed into the giant glaciers with increase in melting of snow. As a result, the snow and water mixture in the shape of a mountain tsunami flows down like a stream as the glacial lake pushes the glacier downward causing serious flooding in the region, he added.

The early warning systems, he said would predict the happening of GLOF phenomenon and would help local masses to take preemptive measures for preventing massive damage and destruction.

“We are also developing GLOF resilient infrastructure in the vulnerable region that would help to preserve roads and bridges during glacial flooding,” the SAPM informed. Amin said the country was developing its resilience against GLOF for a sustainable and climate safe future.