Rising temperature results in rapid melting of glaciers in Pakistan's north

KARACHI: With the temperatures soaring, glaciers in northern areas of Pakistan have started melting rapidly, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Climate Change said Tuesday, raising fears of a flood situation.

There has been a rise in number of glacial lakes - lakes with origins in melted glaciers - being formed in Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas, the spokesperson said.

In 2010, there had been 2,400 glacial lakes in northern parts of the country, but currently the count stands at 3,000.

Out of these glacial lakes, the spokesperson added, nearly 52 lakes might start flowing at any time leading to flash floods and extreme threat to people inhabiting mountains.

Authorities have also been working in these areas with the help of UN's Green Climate Fund, which has issued $36 million to support efforts to respond to climate change challenges.