#shishperglacier

The #ShishperGlacier in Gilgit-Baltistan is melting at a dangerously rapid pace — a stark reminder of how global warming and rising high-altitude temperatures are reshaping our mountains. Once a stable, enduring ice mass, Shishper has grown increasingly unstable in recent years, unleashing frequent Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) that endanger lives, destroy infrastructure, and wipe out livelihoods downstream. This accelerated melt is not just a local crisis — it is a clear signal of the escalating threats facing mountain communities across the region and the world, and a call for urgent, targeted climate adaptation in Gilgit-Baltistan. Just last week, a #GLOF from Shishper swelled the Hassanabad Nullah in Hunza, damaging newly built retaining walls, eroding farmland, and washing away a section of the Karakoram Highway. While traffic remains open, the damaged stretch is sealed, and dozens of mountainside homes remain at risk. According to @UNDPPakistan the country has 3,044 glacial lakes, with 33 identified as dangerous — threatening 2 million people downstream, including 800,000 mountain residents in immediate danger. These #glaciers feed the Indus River — Pakistan’s lifeline — which provides 90% of our water for food production. Yet today, the Indus is the world’s 2nd most polluted river, with 40% of its solid waste being plastic. We have already lost 16% of glacier mass in the Indus headwaters in just 5 years. Without urgent action, experts warn the Indus could be reduced to a seasonal river by 2050, collapsing ecosystems, food systems, and millions of livelihoods. Pakistan is ranked the most climate-vulnerable country in the #Climate Risk Index 2025. If we do not act with urgency — and if we do not strengthen our own adaptation and resilience — GLOFs will become much more frequent and more deadly, sweeping away roads, homes, and farmland in matter of minutes and hours. #GLOFs #shisperglacier #GB