Chitral falling victim to rising temperatures

The threat of melting glaciers and GLOFs has increased manifold in the area in recent years

CHITRAL:

Like many parts of Chitral, the Reshun village is highly prone to climate change related calamities, which is a source of extreme distress for its residents. 32-year-old Daldad Pari, who is a resident of the village, already lost family back in 2007 due to melting glaciers, which directly impacted the populace.

Presently, the village is not only prone to the threat of melting glaciers but also Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) - both of which are giving Pari sleepless nights as he does not want a repeat of the 2007 tragedy. “Ever since we were children all we have heard is how beautiful Chitral is with its glaciers and snow-capped mountains. But the very same glaciers and mountains are now a constant threat to our lives,” an emotional Pari said. “Global warming and climate change has made us fear our beloved ice mountains.”

Hidayat Uddin, a resident of the nearby Torkhow village, which faces the same threats as Reshun, agrees with Pari. “I lost my brother in last year’s GLOFs and the way glaciers are melting, I constantly fear for the lives of other family members,” he said. When asked if had considered moving from the town, Hidayat Uddin replied: “What other option do we have left? Clearly the government’s only steps in to provide tents once the calamities have already hit instead of doing something concrete to address climate change.” Rehmat Ali, a local environmental activist, concurring with Hidayat Uddin’s criticism, suggested that to deal with the threat climate change posed to locals the government needed to focus on three things in particular.

“Mapping of high-risk GLOFs areas, a ban on construction of concrete houses, and a ban on deforestation in Chitral.” Ali’s suggestions are backed by research spanning some 23 years and he feels that if the government does not take immediate action then 380 high-risk villages, as per his research, will be decimated in the next few years. Assistant Director of the Meteorological Department in Booni, Noor Kamal, shares Ali’s fears. “The average snowfall in Chitral city has reduced from 2 to 3 feet to 1 inch and in the summer we are recording temperatures of 40 to 42 degree Celsisus. These are unprecedented times for Chitral and we desperately need to take action,” cautioned Kamal.

When asked about the growing threat of climate change to areas like Chitral, Spokesperson of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Mohammad Taimur, said that it is true that the heat wave this year increased the risk of flash floods and GLOFs in Chitral. “It is also worrying that the temperature is expected to rise 4 to 6 degree Celsius in the next few days in Upper and Lower Chitral. However, we have alerted the district administration and should an emergency situation arise, we will deal with it,” assured Taimur while talking to The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2023.