PMD will conduct survey to determine any damage to glaciers

Islamabad
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) would conduct a comprehensive survey to determine whether the earthquake that hit Pakistan and other areas in the region on October 26 posed any danger to large-scale glaciers in northern parts of the country.
Talking to The News, Principal Seismologist of PMD Zahid Rafi said the earthquake could cause formation of the glacial lakes in the glaciers so it is necessary to ascertain whether the recent earthquake has caused emergence of any new glacial lake in northern areas of Pakistan.
According to a report compiled by PMD in the recent past the northern Pakistan was home to 3,218 glaciers and 2,420 glacial lakes while 52 of those have already been declared potentially dangerous.
Zahid Rafi said the walls holding the massive water bodies in the glaciers could break due to various reasons including earthquake, intense heat of the sun, torrential rains and the glacial movement.
He said it would be quite early to say about impacts of the recent earthquake on the glaciers because only a thorough survey with the help of modern equipment and satellite photographs can help ascertain the ground situation in the glaciers.
Providing details about the study that is currently underway, he said at present 10 large glaciers are being studied in Karakoram and 2 in Hindukush Range.
However, the extensive research is focused on two major glaciers Baltoro (heavily debris covered) and Passu (relatively clear). There are 3 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) installed over the Baltoro Glacier and two at Passu Glacier at an elevation ranging from 3000 to 5000 amsl.
The official data said most of the glaciers in Pakistan's geographic limits are debris covered and melting rate differs according to the thickness and type of debris in addition to the other factors such as their aspect, elevation etc.
The PMD in collaboration with several international research groups have been recording in-situ meteorological datta and glacier characteristic by high altitude AWS (3000-5000 amsl) installed over the glaciers and through field measurements since 2006.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), there have been at least 35 glacial lake outburst events in Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan and China during the last century,
Meanwhile, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) spokesman Ahmad Kamal told the media that the recent massive earthquake that hit Pakistan and other areas of this region on October 26 has not caused any negative impacts on glaciers in northern parts of the country.