ISLAMABAD:
Rising temperatures and an intense heat wave across the country have accelerated the melting of glaciers, significantly increasing the risks of landslides and flooding in mountainous and northern regions.
The National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued an alert regarding the expected weather situation across the country from May 26 to 31.
According to the NDMA, temperatures in most parts of the country are expected to range between 40 and 48 degrees Celsius, while Sindh, Balochistan and southern Punjab are likely to remain under severe heat wave conditions.
Following the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the NDMA has initiated a review of nationwide preparedness measures in view of potential threats.
As per the NDMA directives, provincial disaster management authorities have initiated precautionary measures, including public awareness campaigns, deployment of emergency response teams, establishment of cooling centers and upgrading of medical facilities.
According to the report, glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan, upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and other mountainous areas are melting rapidly due to extreme heat, increasing the likelihood of landslides and floods.
The NDMA has identified a high risk of landslides in Hunza, Nagar, Gilgit, Chilas, Astore, Shigar, Chitral, Kalam, Upper Kohistan and several areas of Azad Kashmir.
The authority warned that roads connecting Shimshal, Attabad Lake, Karimabad, Gulmit, Shishkat Bala and Passu could be affected by landslides, while the Karakoram Highway, Shigar Valley Road, Skardu Road and Deosai Road are also feared to be closed.
Meanwhile, rapid melting of glaciers and possible glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) may trigger flood situations in several areas including Darkot, Lasht, Reshun, Booni, Badswat, Shisper, Gilgin, Hinarche, Roshan and Kumrat.
The NDMA further warned that hill torrents and rivers could overflow, while flood threats also persist in Hunza, Ghizer, Diamer, Astore, Ghanche, Shigar, Chitral, Dir, Swat and Kohistan.
In Sindh, Jacobabad, Qambar Shahdadkot, Dadu, Jamshoro, Khairpur, Sanghar, Umerkot, Sukkur, Ghotki and Mirpurkhas are expected to remain severely affected by the heat wave.
Similarly, Chagai, Washuk, Kharan, Turbat, Sibi, Nasirabad and Jaffarabad in Balochistan are also likely to experience extreme temperatures.
In Punjab, temperatures are expected to continue rising in Multan, Lodhran, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Muzaffargarh, Bhakkar, Layyah, Lahore, Sahiwal and Kasur.
