the threat of melting glaciers

The tragedy of Marmolada has highlighted the dangers that the melting of glaciers can represent. A danger that Pakistan, a country located at the gates of the Himalayas, already knows well. A month ago, the northern village of Hassanabad was devastated by a flash flood caused by melting ice. Several houses were destroyed. “We lost everything in two hours”, testifies a resident. The victims taking refuge in makeshift shelters now live under the threat of a new flood.

The disaster bears the mark of climate change. In the region, the winter was particularly mild. After a period of drought, the glacial lake located upstream spilled millions of cubic meters of water. Pakistan could lose a third of its approximately 7,000 glaciers by the end of the century due to global warming.