Shyok River: The River of Death
By Ijlal Haider
In the wake of severe climate change, the lives in mountain communities are becoming vulnerable with each passing day. The rising temperatures in Gilgit Baltistan are accelerating glacier melt, intensifying the river flow, and increasing GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) events.
Here, I am narrating the story of the Shyok River, a major tributary of the mighty Indus River. Originating from the Rimo Glacier, Shyok flows through various valleys and reaches the border of district Ghanche, where it converges with the Indus River. The valleys along the bank of the Shyok River are at high risk due to rising water levels, as the river is also infamously known as “The Death River”.
Due to erratic temperature rise and melting glaciers, residents along the Shyok River are encountering numerous challenges. According to the local people of Abadan Valley, the recent rise in river water level is unprecedented and exceeds the level seen during the 2010 flood. The months of July and August are devastating for the residents. Every year, the Shyok River causes damage to agricultural lands, water channels, residential areas, and other assets including trees and vegetation. However, 2024 has been particularly devastating, with land erosion reaching its peak since July. People are compelled to cut down their trees out of season as the river has already submerged many of them. Residents of Gursay vacated their houses and livestock after the river intruded into their residential areas. A man told me that his agricultural land, where he grew potatoes, was damaged after the water breached the barriers.
At present, the two valleys of Abadan and Gursay face high risk due to the failure of water barriers that were previously constructed in the region. The local communities’ responses to these challenges are driven by voluntary efforts. However, the local community is unable to stop the river’s flow and is only capable of evacuating their homes and livestock to any safe zone. It is highly concerning that the lives of the residents in these two valleys depend solely on just two water barriers, which are only partially successful in diverting the river flow. So far, aside from sending officials to the affected areas, the government disaster management department and commissioner’s office have not taken any action to mitigate the damages and losses experienced by the people.
The people of the two valleys primarily depend on agriculture and woods for their survival. The severe impacts of climate change have left their lives increasingly vulnerable. Rising environmental changes, including delayed snowfall, erratic rainfall, and increasing temperatures have posed a threat to the region’s ecosystem. The region’s water resources, agriculture, and hydropower generation are in extreme danger. The mountain peaks that I saw blanketed in snow since childhood now seem bare. The barren peaks and declining glacier levels provoke fearful thoughts of how the future of these vulnerable communities would be. The total area of the river basins in northern areas is about 128,730 km2. Approximately, an area of about 15,040 km2 is covered by around 5218 large and small glaciers in northern areas. An area of about 2730 km3 is covered by ice reserves in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) region. More than 83% of this ice reverse is covered by the Hunza, Shyok, and Shigar river basins. According to the study conducted by the Pakistani Meteorological Department in 2007, 35% of the Siachen glacier has reduced considerably so far, and currently, it is decreasing at an alarming rate of 110 meters annually. A study conducted by Ghulam Rasool and his team revealed that by 2035 the region’s glaciers will be reduced to one-fifth of their current size, transforming regional rivers into seasonal ones.
Sufficient funding and action are essential to safeguard the two vulnerable communities living in highly threatened areas. The government should take immediate action by engaging local communities in building protective water barriers in appropriate locations. The local people have a better understanding of their region and are knowledgeable about where and how to build. It’s an urgent plea to the government that before next summer arrives, the whole region should be safeguarded by building protective walls. If there are further delays, the two valleys might no longer exist within the region’s geography. The politicians who are true caretakers and representatives should ensure their presence and assist these communities.
Finally, with the military camps and depots in the region, both the government and military should take collective action on this matter.
The author is an MPhil scholar at the National Institute of Pakistan Studies (NIPS), at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad. He can be reached at ijlalhaider@nips.qau.edu.pk
