It warns that the region is warming faster than the rest of the world, which could cause sudden ice collapses with serious knock-on effects downstream. A study has mapped nearly 220 glaciers perched dangerously in Uttarakhand’s Alaknanda basin, the first time this has been done.
Hanging glaciers sit on steep slopes instead of valley floors, which makes them naturally more unstable. This instability has led to the formation of ‘hanging glaciers’ on steep slopes, posing a significant risk of ice collapse and severe impacts on downstream areas. basin-scale assessments in the Himalayas remain limited While these glaciers have been extensively studied in the Alps. To build the inventory, researchers used the GlabTop2 model to study the Alaknanda basin in the Garhwal Himalayas. This is one of the first inventories of hanging glaciers in the state. With this new data, experts say Uttarakhand needs to step up monitoring of its melting glaciers and plan better for the risks this creates.
Our study indicates the presence of 219 ‘hanging glaciers’ in Uttarakhand.
A total of 219 “hanging glaciers” have been found clinging to steep slopes in Uttarakhand’s Alaknanda basin, according to a new study that warns rising temperatures are making the region riskier. The study says the Himalayan region is warming faster than the global average, and this is making these glaciers even less stable. The researchers said, “Rapid warming and climate change are increasing instability in Himalayan glaciers. They found: Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Ashim Sattar, co-author of the study and Assistant Professor at IIT Bhubaneswar, said, “Climate change is significantly impacting a large part of the Himalayan region.
