Khunjerab gets a snowy day in July

ISLAMABAD: Upper parts of Gilgit-Baltistan received a light blanket of snow on Thursday, attracting a greater number of tourists. Apart from the numerous high peaks in the mountainous region, the Khunjerab pass also received some snowfall.

So far, over three feet snow has been recorded in different parts of G-B including Khunjerab. The cold spell in the region is expected to continue for the coming days.

As a result of the unexpected snowfall, a large number of tourists headed to the high pass to enjoy the chilly weather.

Hundreds of tourists flock to Naran, Murree

With Ramazan ending summer vacations only half gone, hundreds of tourists from across the country have been flocking to hill stations in the country.

Picnic spots such as Abbottabad, Swat, Naran, Shogran and Kaghan were likely to receive 30,000 to 40,000 domestic tourists alone.

In April this year, several tourists were injured when two cars – one in Diamer valley and other in Ghizer valley – were hit by landslides triggered by heavy rains and snowfall. The scenic Astore valley was whitened by heavy snowfall. Skardu town and Hunza valley also received heavy blankets of snow, bringing the temperature down to nearly zero degrees.

Scientists believe climate change in northern Pakistan has been increasing ice and snow melt in the upper part of the Indus River basin, leading to more frequent floods downstream.

Floods, GLOFs (glacial lake outburst flood), rock sliding, avalanches, land slips, and earthquakes are among the natural disasters threatening the Himalayan region of G-B as the effects of climate change slowly take root. According to reports, G-B is prone to hydro-meteorological hazards during spring, summer and winter.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2017.