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Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Hunza from Shishper Glacier
  • 2022
  • 31
  • Aug
Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Hunza from Shishper Glacier

 

Due to an early melting that caused a lake to emerge on top of the Whisper Glacier and started releasing 5,000 cusecs of water per second, the village of Hassanabad in the Hunza district was entirely covered in water. This event occurred in Pakistan.

 

It has been noted that the glacial lake has enlarged, and the differences documented before indicate that the situation has been becoming worse day by day. Regardless of whether or not the authorities have completed the preventative precautions they were taking to rescue the people, the situation is not yet under control.

 

- Glaring difference in the size of the lake has been observed

 

The present and ongoing scenario of catastrophic flooding over the whole province of the Punjab and other regions of Pakistan, notably the northern territories, has reached its worst point ever. This is especially notable given that the issue has been going on for quite some time. The melting of glaciers is to blame for more than half of Pakistan being submerged in water. It has been noticed that when lake areas expand, the water flows become more turbulent and harder to regulate. This is due to the increased surface area. This phenomenon is a direct result of lakes becoming larger over time.

 

According to Dr. Sher Mohammad, a remote sensing specialist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, the lake was 15% larger than what had been recorded for the glacier lake prior to the lake's outburst level during the previous three years.

 

This information was provided by Dr. Mohammad at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. There is a significant discrepancy between this and the size of the glacial lake before the outburst, which may be seen here.

 

- Lake size increased 40% in the 20 preceding days

 

According to him, the significant Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) that occurred in Hunza from Shishper Glacier was primarily brought on by a sharp increase in temperature in the Northern Areas due to the ongoing heatwave phenomena. He said that as a result of faster melting brought on by the Northern Areas' ongoing warmth, the lake area around Shisper Glacier had increased by 40% in the previous 20 days. He said that the increased melting of the glaciers was mostly caused by the heat. Glacial lakes started to appear in April, despite the fact that this seldom occurs before May.

 

-Karakoram Bridge has been demolished and caused disconnection of Gilgit & Hunza

 

People in Gilgit and Hunza, as well as those from outside the region, are dependent on each other in a myriad of ways. The people of Hunza and Gilgit are interdependent in many ways, both economically and otherwise. Sad to say, things have gotten worse, and the bridge linking these locations has been destroyed.

 

According to Dr. Sher, the significant floods that severed connections between Gilgit and Hunza caused the Karakoram Highway Bridge to sustain some level of damage. According to him, this was the only significant collateral damage that had been documented as a result of GLOF. He went on to say that glacial lakes were fast developing in them and that these lakes were also emerging earlier than their typical period and exploding into floods.

 

- Five of Glacial Lakes OutBurst Has Been Observed, More is Expected

 

Dr. Sher Mohammad discovered that lakes sprang out of nowhere on at least five glaciers in the month of April. Even in places where water was gushing at a quicker pace than usual, lakes had developed. As a result of the persistent cloud cover, we have only been able to locate five glacial lakes, although there may be many more.

 

He emphasized the potential severity of future threats posed by supra-glacial lakes that have grown on top of unstable glaciers as a consequence of the fast temperature increase. He elaborated by saying that a sudden rise in temperature precedes such events.

 

- As per him, other glaciers in the area could also pose a threat to the lakes

 

In his opinion, the five glacier lakes might be in danger from other glaciers in the area, as shown by satellite data and images. A rise in temperature of five degrees Celsius, he said, may set off a number of different types of natural disasters. "This doesn't often happen in April, and we don't record glaciers and lakes until June or later."

 

Read also Pakistan Seeks AID For Assisting Flood Affectees

 

 

- Authorities were informed to take preventive measures to save locals in GB & KPK

 

Authorities in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa responsible for disaster management were given advance notice of the threat posed by GLOF in the area, allowing them to take preventative measures. As the authorities of the Hunza district took precautionary steps in front of a calamity, the inhabitants were moved from vulnerable regions to safer ones, and are now safe from the GLOF. According to the administration of the Gilgit-Baltistan region, the glacier lake began to overflow at seven o'clock on Saturday morning.

 

Representatives from the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) said that their staff was prepared to carry out community sensitization, local population relocation, and food stockpiling prior to the Met Office's danger alert for GLOF. This was the assertion made by the GBDMA officials. Given the existing state of affairs and the anticipated severity of the GLOF threat, this was said.

 

- Back Story of Shisper Glacier Melting

 

According to Dr. Sher Mohammad, the Shisper Glacier began melting at an accelerated rate in 2018, with three breaches in 2019 and 2020. He stressed the need for constant observation in order to formulate well-informed disaster preparation strategies and emergency responses that would lessen the impact of inevitable natural calamity on human lives and material assets. These plans and procedures are designed to mitigate the destructive effects of natural hazards.

 

-Bilawal Bhutto Explained his concerns about the hazardous Situation

 

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the foreign minister of Pakistan, is worried about the fast receding glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan.

 

As for the flooding situation in Gilgit, he added that the problem caused by the lake's eruption on the Shisper Glacier has to be dealt with as quickly as possible to avoid harm to the local population and the closure of land routes. This is being done to safeguard the local populace and ensure the continued use of the land routes.

 

Thereafter, Bilawal expressed his optimism that the administration will make it a top priority to address the concerns of everyday citizens and visitors. The foreign minister then reassured the people of Gilgit-Baltistan that, contrary to previous assertions, the PPP would not abandon them during times of crisis.

 

The PPP chairman expressed alarm about the fast retreat of glaciers and the need for concerted efforts to combat climate change.

 

During the preventative activities that took place in KPK, a large number of visitors from other countries were also rescued. According to what they said, the severe floods caused their bus to break down, and it was a close call whether or not they could save their lives.

 

Read also Inflation Raise Due to Miserable Floods in Pakistan

 

Alert: Unfortunately, Pakistan's stunning vistas are underwater yet. Damaged locations will soon be available to tourists after repairs are completed.

Fawad Hassan

As a nature enthusiast and writer, one of my favorite things to do is to share the stories of my most memorable travel experiences at the various locations I visit. I am an extreme thrill seeker who constantly makes it a point to organize my vacations around going on trips. At best, I'm a solitary traveler, but I find that it's more enjoyable when I'm in the company of others. One day I hope to embark on a tour throughout the world!

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