Glacial lake flooding leaves Hunza, Gilgit disconnected (Pakistan)

Geo News ^ | Sunday May 8, 2022 | multiple including fake crying by Scott Duncan

[texas booster]

ISLAMABAD: A massive glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) occurred in Hunza district's Hassanabad village Saturday, sweeping away the Hassanabad bridge on the Karakoram Highway. The Shisper Glacier started discharging 5,000 cusecs of water owing to premature melting, leaving Hunza, Gilgit disconnected.

The flow of water, however, reduced by Sunday morning, Hunza Deputy Commissioner Usman Ali said.

The official said that a temporary bridge will be built after the water completely drains out of the lake.

Scottish Meteorologist Scott Duncan warned that there could be more glacial meltings due to continuously rising temperatures. He forecast that the temperatures would "inevitably surpass the 50°C mark" soon with intensifying heat in the sub-continent.

"Extreme and prolonged heat in Pakistan has helped trigger a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood with catastrophic consequences. Sadly, there could be more to come. Temperatures will inevitably surpass the 50°C mark in the coming days as the heat intensifies in Southern Asia," Duncan wrote on Twitter.

Remote Sensing Specialist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development Dr Sher Mohammad, speaking about the causes of the flooding, said that the glacial lake size was 15% more than the recorded size for the last three years at the pre-outburst level of the lake.

He said the massive Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Hunza from Shishper Glacier was mainly triggered because of an abrupt temperature rise in the Northern Areas due to the prevailing heatwave phenomenon. He said that the glaciers were melting at a faster pace mainly due to heatwave, adding that in the last 20 days, there has been a 40% increase in the Shisper Glacier lake area due to expedited melting after heatwave impacts gripped the Northern Areas. Mostly, glacial lakes are formed in May but it got developed one month ahead in April.

(and the crying goes on for another 5,000 words ...)

[texas booster]

Sorry for the flood of tears of climate activists that caused the glacial lake to burst. But a quick search found ...

Surging Glacier Creates a New Lake (NASA, 2019)

While most Himalayan glaciers are retreating, about 200 in the Karakoram Range are doing the opposite. Scientific and military authorities in Pakistan are monitoring one of them closely due to the potential for flooding.

About 1 percent of the world’s glaciers surge. These glaciers cycle through periods when they abruptly flow several times faster than usual. At peak speeds, surging glaciers can advance several meters per day—fast enough to block streams, bulldoze trees, crash into roads, and damage infrastructure. Surges typically last for a few months (and sometimes several years), and are then followed by a period of little or no movement that can last for a decade or longer.

One surging glacier in northern Pakistan sits near Mount Shishpar (also Shisparé or Shishper), a 7,611-meter peak in the Hunza District. In April 2018, the debris-covered glacier started to accelerate, with certain parts moving as fast as 13 to 18 meters (43 to 59 feet) per day. Since the surge started, the front of Shishpar Glacier has advanced by about 1 kilometer. As the ice pushed south past an adjacent valley, it blocked a meltwater stream flowing from the neighboring Muchuhar Glacier. By autumn 2018, the water had pooled up and formed a sizable lake.

Gee, it almost sounds like a natural occurrence ... shame that Pakistan doesn't have a government that could plan ahead for such recurring disasters.

[texas booster]

Left side - April 5, 2018 .............................................. right side April 1, 2019

These images, acquired by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8, show the position of the glacier and lake on April 1, 2019 (right), compared to April 5, 2018. The ice appears gray because dust, soil, and other debris are piled on top of it.

Generally, ice-dammed lakes like this are unstable and do not last for more than one season; most drain slowly and do not to cause any problems. But sometimes the ice dams collapse suddenly or lake water spills over the dam, causing fast-moving, dangerous floods. Because of this, scientists are conducting frequent ground surveys near Shishpar and analyzing satellite imagery daily.

[DoughtyOne]

Strange thing is, this calamity happens each year?

LMAO

[texas booster]

The glacier’s surge has already had some consequences. One nearby power station went offline due to a lack of incoming water. Also, a key pathway that miners and cattle once used to cross the glacier safely became impassable. In August 2018, that change trapped cattle in summer pastures and prevented miners from reaching a work site, the Pamir Times reported.

This is not the first time that this glacier has surged. Field research and analysis of satellite imagery indicate that Shishpar also surged in 1904-1905, 1972-1976, and 1993-2002.

Is it possible that a worldwide governmental body failed in its duty to review a long standing potential disaster, and warn these burghs' fair citizens that its getting warm in the mountain kinda early? The entire United nations!

Nah, that's as silly as the US Forest Service proscribing a fence built to protect mice, and catching a large bit of New Mexico on fire.

[texas booster]

Funny thing , that recurring disaster.

Warm air melts snow!

Who knew?!

[usurper]

The Shisper Glacier started discharging 5,000 cusecs of water owing to premature melting.

Premature according to what? Is there some time line cast in stone in an Egyptian pyramid that they have yet to show us?

I guess there must be because I can't think of a time when this has happened before. /s

[texas booster]

FM Bilawal concerned over rapid melting of glaciers

Meanwhile, Minister for Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that rapid melting of glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan is a matter of concern.

In his statement on the flood situation in Gilgit, he said that the situation created by the eruption of the lake on the Shisper Glacier needs to be dealt with on an urgent basis to ensure that no harm is done to the local population and the land routes remain open.

Bilawal went on to say that he hopes(?) the administration will ensure that ordinary people and tourists do not face any difficulties.

The foreign minister further said that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan will not be left alone by the PPP in difficult times.

The PPP chairman added that the rapid melting of glaciers is a matter of concern adding that collective and concerted efforts on the issue of climate change are a necessity.

Yep, when in doubt blame it on climate change ... lots better than asking what happened to the money already budgeted to track such annual melting.

[texas booster]

Except for ...1904-1905, 1972-1976, and 1993-2002

Totally unforeseen by anyone.

Except the local cattle ranchers.

But what do the locals know, anyway!

[texas booster]

Here is a pic of the bridge that collapsed due to the flood waters from the glacial lake.

At least I trust a government to build a temporary bridge, considering how well they monitored the flood gauges and kept the stream clear of debris.

[DoughtyOne]

I’ve noticed a number of spring stories over the last few
years are being used to try to convince people that global
warming is going to kill the human race in a year or two,
seemingly.

There are people out there, that will allow this article to
influence them into believing it’s all real, there’s so much
compelling evidence.

As if!

[VanShuyten]

But, but, but, how can you predict the effects of Climate Change at the local level!!!

[SunkenCiv]

Hey, if no bus loaded with hundreds of locals and goats didn’t get washed away by this, it doesn’t even count as local news in Pakistan. ;^)

[Paul R.]

this calamity happens each year?

Not in this location, evidently. I'd say that bridge has been there for a while.

The main glacier had not moved down the valley to dam the meltwater from the other glacier until 2019. Then this spring has been unusually warm unusually quickly*, causing an extra bonus of meltwater to pile up in the glacial lake rapidly, until part of the ice dam failed, apparently in a big way.

Something like this probably happens somewhere on Earth each year. But this location does seem unusually vulnerable to rapid melts. How many places have glaciers and temperatures in the vicinity that can hit 122 deg. F?

*Curiously, we are coincidentally(?) also beginning a "once every 30 years" (for mid-May) heat wave here in the mid-South. (The Western US will be pleasantly cool - I am jealous.) April and early May here have been a bit cooler and wetter than usual. But starting tomorrow we are expected to be in the low 90's for a few days. The last time the temperature here hit 90 deg. or more on May 10 was back in 1989, so, I would not call this burst of July in mid-May "exceptional", but it is a bit unusual. Definitely it's gonna kill the remaining trout in the trout ponds around here -- I'm gonna get out tomorrow morning and see if I can catch a couple B4 the water warms up... Of course, we have no glacial floods to worry about. ;-)

[minnesota_bound]

This has happened here in the USA many times in the past. You have to read how big they were as it was incredible the massive amount of damage that was done. I imagine man caused this by using fire which caused global warming.

Missoula floods
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missoula_floods

Lake Missoula
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Missoula

Click on Images. Many photos and graphics showing the height of the wave - over 400ft!!
https://media.winefolly.com/missoula-floods-size-ice-dam1.png

Google: Missoula floods
https://www.google.com/search?q=Missoula+floods&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiW09KCm9T3AhXZAzQIHXS2BgwQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=Missoula+floods&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQDFAAWABgAGgAcAB4AIABAIgBAJIBAJgBAKoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1n&sclient=img&ei=kPl5YpbLPNmH0PEP9OyaYA&bih=966&biw=1873

[minnesota_bound]

That is 400ft and more!

[texas booster]

How many places have glaciers and temperatures in the vicinity that can hit 122 deg. F?

Scott, the meteorologist, is from Scotland and forecasts his doom and gloom from there.

He conflated any part of Southeast Asia at 122 deg. F, with a mountain valley that is at over 22,000'.

And glacial lakes is just another weather cycle. Normally not this big, but just another cycle anyways.

I tend to agree with Sunkenciv - if a bus of commoners with goats tied to the roof wasn't washed away, how is this news requiring Scottie Scott to comment on?

[DoughtyOne]

They sure try to don’t they.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the response, and I’m sure there are places out
there that are as you say, experiencing hotter or drier than
normal conditions.

Three years ago we had 5-15 degrees lower than the “average”
for the first six months of the year. Global cooling? Nah

It’s cyclical. Yeah we may climb for a while, but the cold
is coming.