The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has given a glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) alert to a number of northern districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to recent intermittent rainfalls.
The PDMA reports that glacier lake outburst floods are more likely to occur in Upper Chitral, Lower Chitral, Upper Kohistan, Swat, and Dir. Occupants have been told to be vigilant and adhere to all the safety measures.
The Ministry advised district administrations to spy the sensitive areas, get early warning systems triggered and also to exercise evacuation exercises. People have been warned not to move unnecessarily close to water channels and not to drive in fast running streams.
PDMA has identified evacuation points in potentially affected zones. Emergency services and rescue teams have been put on high alert. Tourists traveling to northern Pakistan have been advised to monitor weather updates and avoid travel in high-risk areas.
The National Highway Authority (NHA), Frontier Works Organization (FWO), and Communications and Works Departments have been alerted for road clearance and restoration. PDMA has launched a public awareness campaign in the region to inform locals about safety procedures during glacial floods.
In case of emergency, the public can contact PDMA’s Emergency Operations Center via helpline 1700.