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 another 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.