Open AccessClimate Change and Hazards Risk Management, Community Capability, Resilience and Vulnerability in Swat, Shangla, and Kohistan District, Northwest Pakistan
Author(s) -
Saifullah Khan,
Shahzadah Fahed Qureshi,
Mehmood Ul Hasan
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of economic and environment geology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2223-957X
DOI - 10.46660/ojs.v10i4.356
Subject(s) - environmental science , glacier , precipitation , landslide , natural hazard , climate change , surface runoff , hydrology (agriculture) , natural disaster , snow , physical geography , geography , water resource management , geology , ecology , meteorology , oceanography , geotechnical engineering , biology
The study area comprises of humid and undifferentiated highland climates having total precipitation of52inches (1320mm) and fluctuation of -5.3inches or -134millimeters (1961-2014). The study area was a highly humidclimate in 1961, while recently it seems on the porch of sub-humid ambiance. The annual trends show depletion in theprecipitation concentration since 1980. Based on temperature, there are three types of temperature zones that are cool,cold and highlands. The maximum temperature recorded in June as well as July and reversed in January. The averagetemperature indicates a rise of 0.20C, which is higher during winters and converse in summers. The swell in the degreeof hotness enhanced the water anxiety as well as the recoil of glaciers and increased the rate of natural hazards. Thehydrology of the area is highly susceptible to the alteration in weather conditions in terms of glaciers retreat; fall inriver flow, sub-surface water, natural disasters, desiccation of ponds and water springs. The yearly runoff of the Swatriver reveals a decrease of -0.03 m3/Sec, while it is 12.4 m3/Sec in the Ghurband river (Shangla). It is concluded, thatthe yearly inclination of water runoff is contrary to mean temperature and directly proportional to precipitation. Themost frequent natural disasters of the study area comprise of earthquakes, floods, landslides, snow avalanches, forestfires and epidemics (hepatitis, stomachache, and cholera). These hazards can be minimized using well planning (top tobottom) for risk management, preparedness, vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies at the community level in the area.