A week-long heatwave in Gilgit-Baltistan has triggered a series of floods in the region's streams, caused by the rapid melting of glaciers. The resulting flash floods have caused extensive damage, sweeping away roads, public infrastructure, and private properties in the mountainous areas.
Gilgit-Baltistan, a mountainous region in northern Pakistan, has been experiencing a prolonged heatwave for almost a week, resulting in rapid glacier melting and subsequent flooding in various streams across the region. The increased water levels have led to widespread damage, with roads, public and private properties, and agricultural lands being swept away.
Local residents downstream of these rivulets are living in uncertainty due to the rising water levels, which officials attribute to the persistent heatwaves and glacier melting.
Gilgit-Baltistan is home to some of the world's highest mountains, including K2, the second-highest peak globally.
The region's unique geography, with its snow-capped peaks and glaciers, makes it prone to climate-related disasters. The recent heatwave has accelerated glacier melting, leading to flash floods and mudflows that have devastated the region.
A flash flood in the Beraldu River, caused by the melting of the Baltoro glacier, has devastated the Shiger region. The flood has eroded agricultural lands, trees, and a crucial road connecting the region to Testun village, prompting panic among locals who are taking measures to mitigate the damage. The Baltoro glacier, one of the longest non-polar glaciers in the world, has been rapidly melting due to rising temperatures, posing a significant threat to the region's ecosystem and infrastructure.
Similarly, the Hunza River has overflowed, putting localities along its banks at risk.
The floodwaters have eroded agricultural lands in Ghalpin, Passu, and Gojal, causing damage to the Karakoram Highway near Passu. The flood has also submerged agricultural land and transmission lines in Passu, disrupting the electricity supply to Gilgit. The Hunza River is a critical source of water and hydroelectric power for the region, and the flood has highlighted the vulnerability of the region's infrastructure to climate-related disasters.
In the Danyore nullah, a flash flood has damaged a water channel and Manga Road, as well as a channel providing water to the Danyore powerhouse. In Nomal, the flood in the Hunza River has swept away transmission lines of the 18MW Naltar hydropower station, disrupting electricity supply to Gilgit.
The Naltar Valley has also been flooded, leaving Gilgit city without power for two days before authorities managed to restore it.
Mudflows in the Roundu area and near Baghardu have suspended traffic between Baltistan and other areas, although traffic has since been restored.
The mudflows have also damaged homes and infrastructure, displacing families and causing significant economic losses.
Shahzad Shigri, director of the GB Environmental Protection Agency, attributes the alarming rise in water levels to climate change, warning of potential Glacier Lakes Outburst Floods and flash floods until the end of August due to rising temperatures. He notes that the region has experienced a 0.5 degrees Celsius rise in average temperature over the past 30 years, exacerbating the situation. The rapid melting of glaciers this summer is unprecedented, and officials are concerned about the long-term implications for the region's ecosystem and infrastructure.
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