CHITRAL: In view of the impending danger of glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs) in the valleys of Madak Lasht, Golen and Arkari in Lower Chitral district, more than 100 families have shifted to safer places until the danger subsides.

Lower Chitral deputy commissioner Mohammad Hashim Azim told Dawn that after the issuance of a Glof warning by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority in those valleys, the district administration approached the local communities and helped them go to the places believed to be safe.

He said that the Madak Lashtvalley had the highest degree of the outburst, which was attached with the Sheshi Koh valley in the downstream that contained a large number of nomads who grazed their goats in the pastures during the summer season.

The DC said that the human settlements situated nearby the stream draining the flood had been directed to shift to the places at higher altitudes, while the length of the twin valleys was greater than 40km, making more people vulnerable.

He said that a session was held with the communities as they’re not ready to leave their places in view of the danger.

The residents of Golen and Arkari valleys also shifted to the safe places that were also threatened by Glof. In all three valleys, a community-based early warning system has already been put in place by the United Nations Development Programme under its Scaling-up of Glof Risk Reduction in Northern Pakistan (Glof-II) project.

Stockpiles have also been provided in all the three valleys by the district administration for immediate mobilisation of non-food items in case the Glof event takes place.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2025