Accelerated Glacial Melt Triggers Deadly Floods Across Northern Pakistan

Pakistan is facing increasingly severe climate-related disasters in 2025, including accelerated glacial melting in northern regions and record-breaking heatwaves, which have led to deadly floods, landslides, and displacement of thousands. In Gilgit-Baltistan, temperatures have reached unprecedented highs above 48°C, causing glacier melt that triggers flash floods and unstable glacial lakes, resulting in loss of life and infrastructure damage. Sindh province experienced extreme heatwaves with temperatures surpassing 52°C, contributing to over 1,200 deaths and overwhelming healthcare systems lacking heat action plans. Despite these recurrent calamities, Pakistan's disaster preparedness remains critically inadequate, with authorities failing to learn from past events like the devastating 2022 floods, leaving communities vulnerable and rescue efforts under-equipped. Experts highlight that Pakistan's climate vulnerability is compounded not only by geography but also by poor governance and weak institutional responses, which have hindered effective mitigation and response measures. The nation is grappling with a dramatic rise in monsoon rainfall intensity, which exacerbates flooding risks, underscoring the urgent need for improved disaster management, infrastructure resilience, and climate adaptation strategies.