Gilgit: The National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued an advisory warning of potential glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) risks in northern Pakistan from March to September 2026. The alert cites rising temperatures, changing weather patterns, and the possibility of early heatwave conditions in the region.
The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government has already started taking precautionary measures. Seasonal projections indicate that increasing temperatures from March to June may accelerate snow and glacier melt in GB and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, heightening the risk of GLOF incidents.
Such events can trigger flash floods, causing damage to homes, infrastructure, agriculture, and communication networks.
Abdul Basit, former head of the GLOF-II project in GB, told Dawn that this winter’s weather pattern was unusual, with snow arriving late and high temperatures recorded in high-altitude areas. He noted that temperatures expected in April were already observed in February.
Gilgit-Baltistan, home to roughly 8,400 glaciers and over 4,000 glacial lakes, has seen its ice cover deplete rapidly, increasing the threat of floods and raising concerns over future water shortages.
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