Upper Dir grapples with climate fury

Glacier burst wreaks havoc amid lingering 2022 flood scars

UPPER DIR:

The remote mountainous district of Upper Dir remains firmly in the grip of climate change, with recurring disasters compounding years of inadequate recovery from past calamities. While reconstruction of infrastructure devastated by the 2010 and 2022 floods was still underway, a catastrophic glacier outburst on July 30, 2024, delivered a fresh blow.

The breach of glacial dams at Ziki Jot and Shazur lakes unleashed a torrent that swept away what little remained intact, leaving residents to fend for themselves once more.

Central government emergency funds allocated for relief have been marred by mismanagement, with Rs280 million still unrecovered or unaccounted for. Flood-affected communities continue to rely on self-help, battling harsh conditions without sufficient state support. Researchers at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, had warned earlier this year of heightened risks from glacier bursts and potential flash floods. Following alerts from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), locals now live under constant mental strain, fearing another impending catastrophe.

Encroachment on natural water channels has worsened the vulnerability. Government buildings and structures obstruct waterways, impeding natural flow and exacerbating flood risks. Calls are growing for international organizations to step in with funding to restore the district's shattered infrastructure.

Professor Dr Ihsan Danish, an environmental science faculty member at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, told The Express Tribune that the Hindu Kush and Himalayan foothills in northeastern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including Upper Dir, Upper Swat, and Upper Chitral, have endured extraordinary heatwaves, flash floods, and escalating climate threats over recent decades. These areas host ancient glaciers and remnant old-growth forests, but rampant deforestation has stripped slopes bare.

Concrete constructions in mountainous terrain and along the Panjkora River and its tributaries have drastically reduced the soil's capacity to absorb rainwater. Narrowed channels and reduced flow capacity now turn even moderate rains into destructive surges.

According to Dr Danish, phenomena like intensified monsoons and sudden cloudbursts, much like the 2022 deluge, are becoming the new norm. The Malakand Division, encompassing large swathes of these upper regions, harbors numerous glacial lakes (GLOFs) ranging from 50 to 150 in number across Swat, Upper Dir, and Chitral. Rising temperatures have accelerated melting by up to 5 per cent in some cases, raising fears that any of the 11 glacial lakes in Upper Dir could breach, mirroring the Ziki Jot and Shazur incident.

Reflecting on the 2022 floods' agricultural toll, Assistant Director Agriculture Malik Parvez Khan reported that 1,720 acres of farmland, about 70 per cent of the district's cultivable land, suffered damage. This included 1,200 acres of maize, 235 acres of vegetables, 75 acres of rice, and 211 acres of fruit orchards. Authorities distributed 2,200 wheat seed bags to affected farmers and supported plantation on 270 acres.

A model resilience project in Dog Dara and Sona villages was completed in partnership with an NGO. Yet thousands of flood-hit farmers still await aid. A policy limiting relief packages to those losing at least 21 kanals (about 2.6 acres) of land left many in Upper Dir ineligible, as individual holdings rarely reached that threshold in one place.

District Soil and Water Conservation Officer Engineer Abdullah Khan noted that around Rs15 million worth of 250 schemes, including water ponds, channels, and check dams, have been completed for farmers. However, with funds exhausted, over 10,000 pending applications remain stalled.

Official records from the Upper Dir administration detail the 2022 floods' broader devastation: 11 lives lost, 8 injured, 280 homes partially damaged, 202 fully destroyed, 68 schools (including 10 girls' facilities) affected, 13 roads wrecked, and extensive losses to forests (15,628 cubic feet of timber), 34 shops/hotels, 62 dairy animals, 130 water mills, 35 RCC bridges, 50 suspension/link bridges, five vehicles, 130 tube wells, 15 major water channels, nine hydel power units, and dozens of electricity poles and transformers.