GLOF-II to focus flood risk reduction activities in 24 NA valleys.

ISLAMABAD -- The second phase of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF-II) project will focus on ensuring flood risk reduction activities in 24 valleys of northern areas particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan.

The rising temperatures all over the world has casted serious impacts on Pakistan and South Asia region which has increased the risk of GLOF events in the country, an official of Climate Change Ministry told reporter while elaborating details of the important GLOF-II project.

He said the areas targeted for the project included eight valleys of Khyber Pakhtukhwa (KP) and 16 valleys of Gilgit Baltistan (GB).

The GLOF-II project activities included establishment of Early Warning System, installation of 51 Automatic Weather Stations, 153 Rain Gauges (tipping bucket), 63 Water Discharge Gauges, 77 River Water Level Gauges, 63 Lake Water Level Gauges and 48 Warning Posts.

He informed that the Ministry of Climate Change was implementing GLOF related Projects (GLOF-I and II) where the GLOF-I was related to reduction on the risks of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in Northern Areas of Pakistan.

"In this context vulnerability risk assessment with respect to communities in one district each in GB and KP had been done", he mentioned while claiming the first phase of the project being executed .

The official mentioned that to understand the dynamics of glaciers, WAPDA had established Glacier Monitoring Research Centre (GMRC) in 2012 by upgrading the already existing Pakistan Snow and Ice Hydrology Project...