Pakistan’s unfrozen glacial lakes more than double in two months, raising flood risk
Satellite analysis by Suparco shows unfrozen glacial lakes in Pakistan increased from 40 to 105 between July and early August, prompting heightened flood warnings.
Suparco’s latest satellite assessment, based on imagery up to Aug. 5, recorded a jump from 40 to 105 unfrozen glacial lakes across Pakistan’s high mountains. Temporal analysis revealed that a few lakes have grown beyond any previously documented size, a sign that moraine dams could become unstable. Cloud cover limited the precision of area measurements, but the agency stressed the need for continuous monitoring throughout the melt season.
The Ministry of Climate Change’s technical committee was briefed, and 131 potentially dangerous glacial lakes were mapped with input from provincial disaster agencies and Wapda’s Glacier Monitoring Centre. Glaciologist Dr Karamat Ali warned that satellite data alone is insufficient and urged comprehensive field investigations. Officials highlighted that rising temperatures are reshaping the region’s cryosphere, increasing the risk of sudden outburst floods to downstream communities and infrastructure.
Why it matters
Rapid growth of unfrozen glacial lakes heightens the danger of sudden floods that could affect millions downstream.
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