Melting natural glaciers in Pakistan threaten lives of millions

Melting glaciers in Pakistan are causing devastating flash floods that could endanger the lives of thousands of people in this Asian country.

According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), by 2018, more than 3,000 lakes had been created in Pakistan due to the melting of natural glaciers in the Golgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions. The report adds, 33 of these lakes are facing the risk of flooding, which can cause serious risks for more than 7 million people living in the downstream areas.

Last year, unexpected monsoon rains and unprecedented floods in Pakistan killed 1,700 people. During the peak of flood intensity in Pakistan, about one third of the country’s area was under water. Pakistani officials expect the floods to affect more than 33 million people, mostly living in Sindh and Balochistan provinces.

It should be mentioned that, with more than 7 thousand natural glaciers, Pakistan has one of the highest numbers of these sources of fresh water in the world.