Graduate Seminar held at USPCAS-W MUET

Graduate Seminar for students of U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W), Mehran University of Engineering & Technology (MUET) Jamshoro held at ORIC MUET. Dr. Arjumand Zaidi Senior Research Fellow of the Center delivered lecture on Glacial Lake Outburst Flood in Hunza River Basin. She in her lecture said that retreating glaciers are often responsible for forming lakes at their termini, which could turn to be dangerous. She said recently some of glacier lakes have been created in Hindu Kash Hamaliyas (HKH) region of Pakistan and rupturing of the dangerous lakes has caused several flooding called Glacial Lake Outburst Flooding (GLOF) in the region. In the light of the study conducted for the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) on Vulnerability Assessment for Potential Glacial Lakes Outburst Floods (GLOFs) Events in Passu and Bagrot Valley, she said that study reveals that the GLOF is a common problem in the HKH countries includes Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. She said it is pertinent to use of satellite data for glacier lake monitoring and flood extent modeling but the continuous monitoring of these lakes is still challenge due to their remote locations. She concludes that GLOF mapping using geospatial techniques may be helpful to develop a capacity of disaster management authorities, to develop early warning systems in the vulnerable areas and to respond and recover from emergency and disaster events. Faculty, Senior Management, and MS/PhD students of USPCAS-W, MUT participated in the graduate seminar, which was followed by the documentary and question/answer session.