In brief
In the Hunza Valley of Pakistan, climate change is impacting lives directly, as families are forced to confront the loss of their homes due to rapidly melting glaciers and subsequent flooding.
Komal's morning view of the rugged mountains and the serene river below her family's cliffside home has turned into a nightmare. Just a normal day, a sudden cascade of disaster struck when a glacial lake burst upstream, sending torrents of water, boulders, and debris down the valley, causing chaos in the village of Hassanabad. At 18, Komal recalls how she was in school, unaware of the disaster unfolding. “My teacher told me that the Hassanabad bridge had collapsed,” she explained. The flood was more than just a torrent—it felt like an earthquake shaking the ground. When she returned home, she saw her neighbors salvaging what little they could as their houses crumbled beneath them. The loss was instant. “My aunt and uncle were still inside their home when the flood came and washed out the whole kitchen,” Komal said, recalling the panic that ensued as families were evacuated. Today, remnants of her family home lie among the gray rubble, once surrounded by lush greenery, now barren and lifeless. Researchers warn that climate change is drastically altering this region, labeled the "Third Pole," due to its overwhelming glacial volume. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development projects that if emissions continue at the current rate, two-thirds of the Himalayan glaciers could vanish by the century's end. In the Gilgit-Baltistan region, over 48,000 people are at peril from glacial lake outbursts. Some areas, like Badswat, are deemed so unsafe that residents are being relocated entirely. “With rising temperatures, floods are more common, damaging homes and agricultural lands,” said Deedar Karim from the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat. Zubair Ahmed, from Hunza's Disaster Management Authority, emphasized the challenges of relocating these communities. Many residents have deep connections to their land and fear the risks of migrating elsewhere. “In 5 to 10 years, survival could become exceedingly difficult. We’re already late, but now is the time to act,” he noted. Despite the community's low carbon footprint, with less than 1% contribution to global emissions, they face these overwhelming climate-related challenges. “This is a global issue; we cannot stop it, but we must prepare our people,” Ahmed stated. In nearby Passu, residents have established evacuation drills, preparing for future dangers as they know outside assistance could be delayed for days. Volunteers like Ijaz are trained in rescue techniques but express concern about the unpredictable weather and their limited ability to help when floods occur. Preventative measures are underway in the area, such as barriers to slow flooding and monitoring systems to provide early warnings. However, Ahmed admits that resources are limited, with only 16 out of 100 valleys receiving intervention. Sultan Ali, a local elder, feels a helpless burden as he contemplates the looming threat of another flood. “If the flood comes, it will take everything away, and there’s nothing we can do,” he lamented. Komal echoes this sentiment, recognizing their precarious future filled with uncertainty. “I don’t think we will stay here forever,” she shared, unsure of their next steps with no safe haven in sight.
