ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s space agency has identified 130 potentially dangerous glacial lakes that pose risks to downstream settlements from glacial lake outburst floods, officials said Wednesday.
The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission has been conducting regular surveillance using satellite imagery and sharing updates with relevant authorities.
Of the 130 identified lakes considered potentially hazardous, only 24 are currently unfrozen and clearly observable. Satellite-based mapping has also identified nearby populations that could be vulnerable in case of an outburst.
“This is not a cause for panic, but a call for preparedness,” said Mohammad Saleem Shaikh, spokesperson for the Ministry of Climate Change. “The fact that we are able to identify and continuously monitor these lakes demonstrates that Pakistan’s climate risk surveillance systems are becoming increasingly robust and science-driven.”
Authorities emphasised that continued satellite monitoring was essential for early warning and risk mitigation, particularly as climate change accelerates glacial melting in northern Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Suparco has warned of weaker-than-normal monsoon rainfall, an increased frequency of heat waves during spring and summer, droughts and warmer winters later in the year.
The agency said the El Nino phase had developed, with warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. The phenomenon is expected to influence weather patterns across Pakistan during the 2026 monsoon and winter seasons.
Enhanced coordination between scientific institutions and disaster management bodies remains key to safeguarding vulnerable communities.
