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Pakistan Issues GLOF and Storm Alerts for North as Westerly Wave Arrives

Officials warn sudden warmth followed by heavy rain could rupture unstable glacial lakes.

Overview

  • The PMD, NDMA and KP's PDMA, which issued alerts Saturday, warn of thunderstorms, heavy rain, hail and possible glacial lake outburst floods through May 5.
  • A moderate westerly wave entering upper Pakistan from May 2–3 is forecast to bring widespread rain, windstorms and isolated heavy downpours to northern mountains.
  • High-risk valleys include Hunza, Skardu, Chitral and Swat, and residents are urged to avoid riverbanks and move livestock and valuables to higher ground.
  • The PMD also alerts Karachi and parts of Sindh to a heatwave, with temperatures near 40–41°C and a feels-like reading that could reach 50°C.
  • Officials report no large GLOF events so far, though Pakistan's more than 13,000 glaciers and faster melt raise the long-term risk.