PMD apprehends Chitral glacial outburst amid persistent high temperatures

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has reported persistent high temperatures in Chitral, which could result in a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The met office has reported high temperatures in Chitral region and predicted further rise in mercury in coming two to three days.

Increasing temperatures could cause heavy rainfalls and glacial outburst flooding, it said.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while expressing apprehensions about flooding in hilly torrents and rivers, has advised the tourists to avoid visiting far-flung valleys of Chitral.

These high temperatures may enhance melt rate of glaciers increasing the probability of high flows in the rivers, PDMA said in a statement.

The communities in glaciated regions are advised to remain highly alert due to uneven flow in the valleys and stay away from the river paths, statement said.

Concerned deputy commissioners have also been advised to hold special sessions on the situation, while the general public has been asked to contact with the emergency operation centre number 1700 whenever required.

A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is occurs when the dam containing a glacial lake fails or when a body of water contained by a glacier melts or overflows the glacier.