Pakistan issues glacial lake outburst warning for northern areas as temperatures soar
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) this week issued a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) alert for the country's northern areas, citing 'persistent high temperatures' and intense monsoon currents as the main reasons.
Pakistan is consistently ranked among the countries most adversely affected by climate change. Climate change has triggered irregular weather patterns in the country, which include unusually heavy rains, droughts and heat waves.
In a press release on Wednesday, the NDMA said sustained heat for the past several weeks has accelerated snow and glacier melt in Pakistan's northern regions.
'The added influence of monsoon rains and thunderstorms have now significantly increased hydrometeorological pressure on glacial lakes, raising the risk of sudden GLOF events,' the NDMA said.
It said Reshun, Brep, Booni, Sardar Gol, Thalu 1 and 2, Badswat, Hinarchi, Darkut and Hundur valleys are at 'heightened risk' in case of a GLOF events.
'Sudden outbursts from these glacial lakes may trigger flash floods, posing a serious threat to human lives, livestock, and agriculture,' the disaster management authority said.
'Damage to infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and communication networks is likely, and access to remote valleys may be temporarily disrupted.'
The NDMA urged residents, tourists and trekkers to avoid traveling near glaciers, glacial lakes and riverbanks in the identified areas.
It urged locals to stay informed through official alerts and cooperate with authorities on evacuation instructions where necessary.
Floods in 2022, brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt in northern mountains, killed over 1,700 people and impacted 33 million people out of a population of 220 million. Raging currents swept away homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damages estimated at $30 billion.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan issues glacial lake outburst warning for northern areas as temperatures soar
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) this week issued a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) alert for the country's northern areas, citing 'persistent high temperatures' and intense monsoon currents as the main reasons. Pakistan is consistently ranked among the countries most adversely affected by climate change. Climate change has triggered irregular weather patterns in the country, which include unusually heavy rains, droughts and heat waves. In a press release on Wednesday, the NDMA said sustained heat for the past several weeks has accelerated snow and glacier melt in Pakistan's northern regions. 'The added influence of monsoon rains and thunderstorms have now significantly increased hydrometeorological pressure on glacial lakes, raising the risk of sudden GLOF events,' the NDMA said. It said Reshun, Brep, Booni, Sardar Gol, Thalu 1 and 2, Badswat, Hinarchi, Darkut and Hundur valleys are at 'heightened risk' in case of a GLOF events. 'Sudden outbursts from these glacial lakes may trigger flash floods, posing a serious threat to human lives, livestock, and agriculture,' the disaster management authority said. 'Damage to infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and communication networks is likely, and access to remote valleys may be temporarily disrupted.' The NDMA urged residents, tourists and trekkers to avoid traveling near glaciers, glacial lakes and riverbanks in the identified areas. It urged locals to stay informed through official alerts and cooperate with authorities on evacuation instructions where necessary. Floods in 2022, brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt in northern mountains, killed over 1,700 people and impacted 33 million people out of a population of 220 million. Raging currents swept away homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damages estimated at $30 billion.
Arab News
6 hours ago
- Arab News
Saudi weather center forecasts ‘above normal' temperatures, rainfall in July and August
JEDDAH: Expect higher temperatures in the central, northern and eastern parts of Saudi Arabia in July and August, the National Center for Meteorology (NCM) has announced. In a seasonal forecast carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the meteorology center forecast a temperature increase of 1 degree Celsius above normal in parts of Riyadh, Qassim, Hail, Eastern, and Northern Borders regions, peaking in August at 1.2 degrees Celsius in Jouf, Tabuk, Qassim, Hail, and Eastern regions. NCM has also forecast higher-than-normal rainfall in Najran, Jazan, Al-Baha, and Aseer, and parts of Makkah, Madinah, and southern Riyadh and Eastern regions, particularly in July and August. The rest of the Kingdom is expected to receive normal rainfall. The Summer 2025 forecast, covering the months of June to August, was based on climatic conditions from 1991 to 2020, SPA said. According to the report, the highest maximum temperature was recorded in Jeddah on June 2010 at 52°C, while Al-Ahsa recorded 51.3°C in July 2024. Dammam and Al-Qaisumah in the eastern part of the Kingdom recorded August highs of 51°C in 1998 and 2021, respectively. For rainfall, the southwestern region of Jazan recorded the highest daily amount in August 2024 at 113 millimeters. It also held the record for July at 67.6 mm in 1995. For the month of June, Sharurah, in the southern province of Najran, recorded the highest daily amount in June 1996 at 53.8 mm.
Arab News
16 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistani exporters bank on Middle East to export 125,000 tons of mangoes this season
ISLAMABAD: A leading Pakistani fruits exporters association said on Wednesday it has set an ambitious target of exporting 125,000 tons of mangoes from May to September this year to earn $100 million in revenue, hoping to export 70 percent of these to markets in the Middle East. Pakistan is the world's fourth-largest mango producer, with the fruit's exports generating millions of dollars in revenue annually, according to the Pakistan Fruit and Vegetables Export Association (PFVEA). Pakistan's 20 varieties of mangoes come second only to oranges as the most-produced fruit in the country. The country produces around 1,800,000 metric tons of mangoes annually, with 70 percent grown in Punjab, 29 percent in Sindh and 1 percent grown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 'Pakistan is aiming to export 125,000 tons of mangoes this season, 25 percent more than last year's target of 100,000 tons, with exports having started on May 25 and continuing until the end of September,' PFVEA Patron-in-Chief Waheed Ahmed told Arab News. 'We are hoping to export 70 percent of this target to Middle Eastern countries, our largest market, and if achieved, the country is expected to earn an estimated $100 million in foreign exchange,' he added. However, Ahmed warned adverse effects of climate change may impact the amount of mangoes Pakistan produces this year. Pakistan, which has faced irregular weather patterns ranging from heat waves and unusually heavy rains, is frequently ranked among the most adversely affected countries due to climate change effects. Mango production has been on the decline in Pakistan for the past three consecutive years. 'Mango production in Pakistan is consistently declining due to climate change and water scarcity and there is a risk of up to 25 percent reduction in total mango production this year as well,' Ahmed warned. After the projected decline, the PFVEA official said this season's total mango production may come down to around 1.4 million tons 'However, we have increased the export target because we are exporting only 125,000 tons out of the estimated 1.4 million tons, so we remain hopeful of achieving it despite all challenges,' Ahmed said. Ahmed called for interventions such as improved water management, production of climate-resilient mango varieties, research and development and modernization of agriculture and horticulture. He said efforts were underway to boost mango exports to non-traditional markets such as Japan, the United States, South Korea and Australia, with a special focus on expanding exports to Turkiye and China. He noted that regional tensions, particularly Pakistan's conflict with India and the Israel-Iran tensions, have led to higher export costs due to additional charges by shipping companies on Pakistani cargo. 'We urge the Federal Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to intervene and eliminate these extra charges to help improve export competitiveness,' Ahmed said. Farmers and exporters agreed adverse climate conditions had affected not only the volume of production but also the quality of mangoes. 'We have been facing losses due to multiple factors, including low yield and lower-than-expected demand caused by conflicts in the Middle East,' Asif Ahmed, an exporter from Iftikhar Ahmed & Co, told Arab News. Asif, who has been exporting mangoes for over six decades, hoped the Iran-Israel ceasefire would improve the situation and that fruit prices would rise to help cover the losses. 'We have farms in Sindh's Tando Allahyar and Mirpur Khas districts where production was almost around 30 percent less than normal this year,' Asif said. Amjad Hussain, an exporter from Punjab's Multan city, agreed climate change had reduced the size of the mangoes and their quality as well. 'It has affected more than 25 percent of our yield, which will reduce our exports, though the exact figure will be clear by September,' Hussain said.
