In brief
The Hunza Valley in Pakistan is witnessing devastating consequences as glacial lakes burst, eroding homes and infrastructure. Young Komal recalls a tragic day when her community faced destruction due to sudden floods, while older residents like Sultan Ali express helplessness over their uncertain future. Despite the escalating risks from climate change, local authorities are struggling to provide adequate support and resources for evacuation and disaster preparedness.
In the picturesque but precarious Hunza Valley in Pakistan, families are grappling with the impact of climate change as unfamiliar and destructive floodwaters ravage their homes. For 18-year-old Komal, the memories of a life intertwined with fertile orchards and well-tamed land seem to fade in the wake of overwhelming natural disasters triggered by glacial melts.On a seemingly ordinary day, while Komal attended school, her community was rocked as the nearby Hassanabad bridge, a vital lifeline, succumbed to a ferocious glacial lake outburst. “When my teacher announced the collapse, a sense of panic swept through me,” she recalls. “By the time I made it home, I could see people pulling out belongings, fearing for their homes.”What followed was nothing short of devastating as torrenting waters stripped away entire hillsides, swallowing homes whole. Komal witnessed as her family’s house, once a sanctuary, was reduced to rubble, with memories from her childhood now marred by loss. “This used to be all a green place,” she laments. “But now, the barren spots hurt to remember.”The region, known as the Third Pole, is home to some of the largest glacial reserves outside of the Antarctic and Arctic. However, researchers warn that Himalayan glaciers are under significant threat from climate change, with predictions indicating a potential loss of two-thirds of their mass by the century's end. Nearly 48,000 residents are already at risk from similar disasters in the Gilgit-Baltistan area, prompting some communities, such as Badswat, to evacuate entirely.Local authorities recognize the grim reality: “Climate change has increased the intensity and frequency of disasters across the region,” says Deedar Karim from the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat. The combination of shifting rainfall patterns, more severe flooding, and melting glaciers has made this landscape increasingly volatile, eroding the infrastructures that support community life.One resident, Sultan Ali, now in his seventies, reflects on the uncertain future for his family. “I feel helpless,” he confesses. “The children are scared, and they ask where we will live. If the flood comes, it could take everything away.”Communities like Komal’s have initiated evacuation drills and preparedness training, knowing full well that assistance may take days to arrive in the event of a disaster. “In a heavy flood, we fear for our ability to help,” says Ijaz, a volunteer trained in emergency response. “The unpredictability of weather is alarming.”However, with limited resources devoted to climate resilience initiatives, measures to protect vulnerable communities remain insufficient. “We have identified 100 valleys for early warning systems, but only managed to implement them in 16 due to a lack of funding,” laments Zubair Ahmed from the Disaster Management Authority.As seasons change and threats linger, younger generations like Komal face an uncertain future for their beloved homeland. “I don’t think we will be able to stay here forever,” she observes. “The conditions are already dire. But where else can we go?”
