This is one of the consequences of the high temperatures of recent days in the region. A bridge on a major road in a remote region of northern Pakistan collapsed under the effect of a flash flood caused by the rupture of a glacier due to the heat wave, reported Tuesday May 10 the minister of Climate Change, Sherry Rehman.
A few days ago @ClimateChangePK had warned that Pakistan’s vulnerability is high due to high temps. Hassanabad bridge on the KKH collapsed due to GLOF from the melting Shisper glacier which caused erosion under pillars. Am told FWO will have a temporary bridge up in 48 hours. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/Sjl9QIMI0G
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) May 7, 2022
Pakistan is very vulnerable to climate change, appearing in 8th position of the countries most threatened by extreme weather phenomena, according to a study by the NGO Germanwatch. A record heat wave, which experts attribute to climate change, is currently hitting the country, where temperatures could reach 50°C in places this week, according to forecasts.
3,000 glacial lakes in the country
A bridge collapsed in the village of Hassanabad, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, on Saturday after a glacial lake (Glof, according to the English acronym) caused by rising temperatures suddenly drained, explained Sherry Rehman. A Glof occurs when the ice dam of a glacial lake suddenly breaks, releasing waves that rush down the slope, sweeping away everything in their path.
Pakistan has more than 7,000 glaciers in its territory, which is more than any other country on earth outside the polar lands. But the glaciers in northern Pakistan, in the Himalayan or Hindu Kush ranges, “are rapidly melting”, warned Sherry Rehman. More than 3,000 glacial lakes have formed in northern Pakistan, 33 of which are at high risk of overflowing, said the minister, who believes that the current heat wave in the country and neighboring India is the “direct consequence of climatic stress”.