1 missing, 6 injured in glacier burst incident in Swat's Kalam: Rescue 1122

SWAT: Search efforts were underway to trace a person who went missing after a glacier burst incident in Upper Swat’s Kalam Valley, Rescue 1122 said on Saturday.

Six others were injured in the incident that took place in Kalam’s Matiltan area a couple of days. The glacier burst was reported once the survivors returned to the main Kalam bazaar.

A man, identified as Syed Ali Shah, a resident of Khwazakhela, remained missing. According to his companions, he is believed to have died. However, his body has not yet been recovered.

Initial reports indicated that three injured individuals received first aid from the Rescue 1122 medical team before being transferred from the Kalam Tehsil Headquarters Hospital to Central Hospital in Saidu Sharif for further treatment.

Three other people sustained minor injuries and were reported to be safe.

Rescue officials said that further verified information will be shared with the media and the public as it becomes available.

The northern areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are vulnerable to events such as glaciers breaking off or glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs), which are accelerated by climate change.

In its outlook for the 2026 monsoon season, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned that above-normal temperatures may further accelerate snow and glacier melt, resulting in increased runoff and heightened risks of localised glacier-related hazards.

It further cautioned that warming conditions may increase the risk of Glofs, an outburst of water from a glacial lake which could lead to severe flooding downstream.

Pakistan is home to over 13,032 glaciers, the largest reservoir of glaciers outside of the polar regions. However, experts have warned that about 10,000 glaciers in Chitral and GB have been reported to be receding due to climate change-induced temperature rise.

Last month, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Comm­ission (Suparco) identified 130 potentially dangerous glacial lakes (PGDLs) with possible risks to downstream settlements from Glofs.

Of the 130 identified glacial lakes considered potentially hazardous, only 24 are currently unfrozen and clearly observable.

In August 2025, at least 200 people were rescued after a glacier burst in GB, which blocked the Ghizer River and resulted in the formation of two lakes. ...