Heavy rains in Pakistan trigger a complex environmental disaster

In mid-August, northern Pakistan experienced historic monsoon rains, triggering flash floods, landslides, and glacial lake outbursts. The Karakoram Highway was severed in multiple locations, leaving thousands of trucks stranded and causing a complete breakdown of power and communications. Research by the World Weather Attribution Organization indicates that climate change has increased the intensity of monsoon rainfall in South Asia by 10%-15%. The country’s glaciers are melting at an “alarming rate,” with 3,000 new glacial lakes posing a potential threat. The disaster has claimed 302 lives and injured 727 people.