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

Search operations are underway in Pakistan's Kalam Valley for a man missing after a glacier burst in the Matiltan area, Rescue 1122 reported Saturday. The incident, which occurred a couple of days prior, also left six people injured. Survivors reported the glacier burst upon their return to the main Kalam bazaar.

The missing individual has been identified as Syed Ali Shah, a resident of Khwazakhela. His companions believe he has died, but his body has not yet been recovered. Three of the injured received initial first aid from Rescue 1122 and were transferred to Central Hospital in Saidu Sharif for further treatment. Three others sustained minor injuries and were reported to be safe.

This event underscores the vulnerability of Pakistan's northern regions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to glacial hazards like glacier bursts and glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs). These events are increasingly accelerated by climate change. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that above-normal temperatures during the upcoming monsoon season could intensify snow and glacier melt, raising the risk of such localized hazards and severe downstream flooding.

Pakistan holds the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar regions, with over 13,032 glaciers. However, experts warn that approximately 10,000 glaciers in Chitral and GB are receding due to rising temperatures linked to climate change. The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission has identified 130 potentially dangerous glacial lakes, with 24 currently observable, posing risks to downstream communities. This follows a similar incident in August 2025 where a glacier burst in GB blocked the Ghizer River, creating two lakes and requiring the rescue of at least 200 people.

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