Glacial Lake Collapse Destroys Vital Bridge In Northern Pakistan In Midst Of S. Asian Heatwave

[hatrack]

Record-high April temperatures over Pakistan melted glaciers faster than normal, triggering a flash flood Saturday in a village in the northern region of the country that wiped out part of a key bridge and damaged homes and buildings.

The event, known as a glacial lake outburst flood, occurs when water is suddenly released from a glacial lake because of a dam failure or breach. Warm temperatures over the past month accelerated snow and ice melt near an ice-dammed lake by Shishpar glacier, near Mount Shishpar, increasing the lake’s volume and likely causing the breach and water to overflow across the top. Authorities are providing food, winterized tents and other necessities to affected families in Pakistan’s Hunza District.

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While most glacial lakes typically form in May, rapid snowmelt caused the lake near Shishpar to form a month earlier in April. Over the past 20 days, the lake expanded by 40 percent. Pakistan’s climate change minister warned that the country’s vulnerability to flooding is high because of the heat wave hitting the region. “The surprising element was the timing. It’s too early in the spring,” said Umesh Haritashya, a glaciologist at the University of Dayton. But he said the higher temperatures and rapid snowmelt likely contributed “towards the filling of the lake and that may have caused melting a lot earlier.”

Link to tweet

The Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority said the lake discharged around 10,000 cubic feet per second, enough to sweep away scaffolding on a portion of the Hassanabad bridge. Authorities created an alternate route around the region. The National Highway Authority announced it will install a temporary bridge within a month, while construction of a new bridge will be completed in six to eight months. Two power plants in Hassanabad were also reportedly swept away by the flood.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/09/pakistan-heat-flood-glacier/

[Finishline42]

1. quick turn around on building a new bridge but...

Two power plants in Hassanabad were also reportedly swept away by the flood.

I would think those power plants will be difficult to replace quickly.