"The picturesque Shounter Valley in Pakistan-held Kashmir, often dubbed 'heaven on earth', is succumbing to the devastating effects of climate change. Local volunteer Muhammad Luqman sounds the alarm, fearing the imminent collapse of glaciers that could imperil the lives of 15,000 people in the region. The valley has already borne the brunt of flash floods in 2010, which wrought havoc on the landscape, causing widespread erosion, crop destruction, and residential damage. The villagers of Domail Pine witnessed the terrifying spectacle of floodwaters surging rapidly, carrying glacial waters that threatened to engulf their homes.
Muhammad Rasheed Mughal, a 75-year-old villager, poignantly recounts the trauma of last year's flood, which swept away bridges, houses, and land, leaving destruction in its wake. With heavy snowfall this year, the villagers tremble at the prospect of another deluge that could annihilate their village.
Pakistan boasts an impressive 7,000 glaciers, but the melting of these frozen behemoths has spawned over 3,000 lakes in the Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions. Alarmingly, 33 of these lakes are poised to burst their banks, putting the lives of over 7 million people downstream at risk. The country's recent history has been marred by unprecedented floods that have affected a staggering 33 million people, claiming 1,700 lives. A chilling study warns that the Hindu Kush Himalayan mountain ranges could lose a staggering 80% of their glacial volume this century if greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked. This calamitous scenario would unleash flash floods, avalanches, and water scarcity, imperiling the lives of nearly 2 billion people who rely on the rivers originating in these mountains for their survival."
Pakistan boasts the highest number of glaciers outside the polar region, with approximately 5,300 glaciers nestled in the Karakoram, Himalayan, and Hindu Kush ranges, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. These glaciers serve as the primary source of water for the Indus River system, the country's vital water artery. However, data collected over the past five decades reveals a disturbing trend: nearly all glaciers are showing signs of melting due to rising temperatures. As the glaciers retreat, they leave behind precarious lakes supported by unstable ice dams or accumulations of rock and soil. These dams are prone to bursting, unleashing massive volumes of water that pose a significant threat to the villages below.
Environmental experts warn that the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of glacial melting. In July 2018, a small glacier melt in the Ishkoman valley of Ghizer district caused the Barsuwat Nullah to swell, creating an artificial lake that blocked the flow of the Immit River. The resulting flood submerged over 30 houses, cultivated land, a link road, and cattle farms, and swept away more than a dozen vehicles in upstream areas. In a more devastating incident on January 4, 2010, a massive landslide buried the village of Attabad, destroying 26 houses and claiming 20 lives. The landslide also dammed the Hunza River, forming Attabad Lake
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