AN estimated 960 destructive outburst floods hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) in the last 20 years. Nearly 15 districts are vulnerable to Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), including Chitral, Upper Dir, Swat, Kohistan and Mansehra in KP, and Skardu, Kharmang, Gilgit, Hunza, Diamer, Shigar, Ghanche, Ghizer, Nagar and Astore in GB.

The monitoring teams are keeping an eye on changes in the lakes to save lives and livelihoods of the mountain communities and usher in improved GLOF warning systems. The work on glacier grafting is also being done to help meet the water requirements of the mountain communities, besides improving local irrigation systems. Also, the construction of flood protection walls is under way and local volunteers are also showing their interest in the execution of the project.

The lives and livelihood of mountain communities are dotted by growing risk of flash floods and GLOFs due to glaciers that are rapidly melting. The GLOF-II project initiated in these areas has helped increase vegetative cover to 700 hectares in 18 disaster-prone districts of KP and GB.

Khan Faraz
Peshawar

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2021