PESHAWAR: One person has gone missing and six others were injured after a glacier burst in the tourist resort of Kalam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rescue officials said.
According to Rescue 1122, the incident occurred a few days ago in the Matiltan area of Kalam Valley but only came to light after the affected group returned to the main market and reported the incident.
The missing man was identified as Syed Ali Shah, a resident of Khwazakhela. His companions fear he may have died in the incident, although his body has not yet been recovered.
Rescue officials said three of the injured were provided first aid before being shifted to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Kalam.
They were later referred to the Central Hospital in Saidu Sharif for further treatment. The remaining three sustained minor injuries and are reported to be in stable condition.Search efforts are continuing to locate the missing person, while rescue authorities said the public would be updated as more verified information becomes available.
According to official data, Pakistan is home to more than 13,000 glaciers, many of which are shrinking rapidly due to climate change.
Experts warn that rising temperatures are increasing the risk of glacier-related hazards, including glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).The northern regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan are considered particularly vulnerable to glacier bursts and sudden glacial lake outburst floods, with climate change identified as a key contributing factor.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that above-normal temperatures during the current monsoon season could accelerate snow and glacier melt, increasing the risk of flooding in vulnerable areas.
Read also: NDMA warns of flash floods, urban flooding, landslides as heavy rains forecast across Pakistan
