Several villages submerged due to glacial lake outburst flood in Gilgit

Staff Report

GILGIT: Several villages have been submerged due to glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in Ghizer district of Gilgit as flood-related destruction continues in the region, Gilgit-Baltistan Government Spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said on Friday.
“People have suffered significant financial losses due to the flood, but there have been no casualties. The incident of glacier burst occurred at Talidas area in the Gupis, Ghizer,” Faraq said.
Though the river flow has stopped from advancing, but there were concerns of further damage, he said.

At least 200 people were rescued after a glacier burst blocked the Ghizer River, threatening the downstream areas, Rescue 1122 said on Friday.
Pakistan is home to over 13,032 glaciers, the largest reservoir of glaciers outside of the polar regions. However, experts have warned that about 10,000 glaciers in Chitral and GB have been reported to be receding due to climate change–induced temperature rise.
A statement from Rescue 1122 said, “200 people have been rescued from flood-affected areas and have been shifted to Ghizer’s Yangal and Samal areas.”
“Several people have been traumatised after [their] houses were destroyed. Medical assistance is being provided to the affected people,” it added.
In another statement issued earlier on Friday, Rescue 1122 said, “A terrible incident of glacier outburst has taken place at Tildas and Rawshan villages in Gupis valley late at night, causing widespread destruction in the downstream.”
“The Ghizer River has been completely blocked for several hours, which has increased the risks for downstream areas with a possibility of high-level flooding in the river,” it added.
The statement said that the rescue personnel had been kept on alert on the orders of the Rescue 1122 director general and the Rescue 1122 District Emergency Officer Engineer Tahir Shah. Rescue 1122 also urged people living near the river to take timely precautionary measures and move to safe places.
GB Secretary Fida Hussain said that no casualties were reported and all the affected people were safe.
“The flood swept away everything in the downstream areas in Talidas and Rawshan villages,” he said, adding that 40 people, who were stranded, had been rescued.
He added that local volunteers were the first to rescue people from the floodwaters, after which Pakistan Army helicopters joined the operation.
“The high temperature caused a burst of the lake, and ultimately high flooding occurred in the Sado nullah on Wednesday night.
“Some shepherds informed the local community about the flood. People in dangerous areas were immediately shifted to other areas,” he said.
According to the locals, 80 per cent of the village has been washed away. A local named Abdul Wahid said, “Some shepherds, who were living near the glacier, had informed people living in the downstream areas through mobile communication about the flood and urged them to evacuate.”
The local administration said that the Ghizer River, after remaining blocked for eight hours, started spilling over the flood debris.
GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said that a rescue operation was initiated to evacuate the stranded people in the areas. He said, “The flow of the Ghizer River has remained blocked for many hours, but it poses a threat to low-lying areas if it bursts.”
Ghulam Muhammad, GB Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism, said, “The flood, which occurred due to the bursting of the lake, completely destroyed 70 houses, while the river water is standing due to the flood debris, but the level is rising.”