Rescue teams continued on Saturday to search for a man who went missing after a glacier burst in the Matiltan area of Upper Swat’s Kalam Valley, while six others were injured in the incident, Rescue 1122 has said.
The missing man was identified as Syed Ali Shah, a resident of Khwazakhela. According to his companions, he is believed to have died, but his body has not yet been recovered.
The incident occurred a couple of days ago in Matiltan, although the glacier burst was only reported after the survivors returned to the main Kalam bazaar, Rescue 1122 said.
Initial reports showed that three of the injured received first aid from a Rescue 1122 medical team before being shifted from the Kalam Tehsil Headquarters Hospital to Central Hospital in Saidu Sharif for further treatment. Three others sustained minor injuries and were reported to be safe.
Rescue 1122 stated that search efforts were continuing and that further verified information would be shared as it became available.
Pakistan’s northern regions, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are vulnerable to glacier-related hazards such as Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which occur when water stored in a glacial lake is suddenly released, triggering potentially destructive flooding downstream.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said in its 2026 monsoon outlook that above-normal temperatures could accelerate snow and glacier melt, heightening runoff and increasing the risk of localised glacier-related hazards.
PMD also cautioned that warmer conditions could increase the likelihood of GLOFs, posing a threat to downstream communities.
In a similar incident last year, at least 200 people were rescued after a glacier burst in Gilgit-Baltistan blocked the Ghizer River, creating two lakes.
