Climate Change? PakMet says 36 lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan might burst!
Safdar Ali Safdar
Gilgit, 2 September 2015: The Pakistan Metrological Department has declared 36 out of 3044 glacier lakes most dangerous of bursting in Karakorum, Himalayan and Hindukosh ranges in the northern part of Pakistan installing an Early Warning System in Bagrote valley of Gilgit-Baltistan to get the climatic updates of the area.
“There are more than 7000 glaciers and 3044 glacier lakes located in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral valleys out of which 36 glacier lakes are vulnerable to outburst which can effect communities living in downstream” said Director General Pakistan Metrological Department Dr. Ghulam Rasool while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Early Warning System in Bagrote valley on Tuesday.
He said that although impacts of extreme climatic changes affect the whole world but it is apprehended that the coastal and mountainous areas will be more vulnerable to random glaciers melting and catastrophic floods in downstream.
“Pakistan Metrological Department has initially installed an Early Warning System in Bagrote valley, in next phase a sub office of Metrological Department will be established in the area so that the local communities could be saved from effects of disasters and GLOFs” Rasool added.
“Gilgit-Baltistan being a mountainous region is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and people have been badly suffered from natural disasters owing to glacier malting and floods for last few years” said Chairman Pakistan Water and Environmental Board Nisar Memon while speaking at the occasion.
He said that coping with disasters communities need to be aware about taking preventive measures in time of disasters so that damages of climate change induced hazards could be controlled.
“GLOF Pakistan has been working on climate change effects and disaster risk reduction in Bagrote valley for the last four years focusing on capacity building of the local communities to cope with disasters” said GLOF Project Manager Syed Zahid Hussain while giving a detailed briefing about their ongoing initiatives taken in the area.
