Achi news desk-
GUWAHATI: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) revealed on Monday that a comprehensive review of satellite imagery spanning decades has revealed an alarming trend of accelerated melting across the Indian Himalayas, often referred to as the Third Pole for its vast expanse of glaciers. snow cover
This rapid retreat has resulted in a marked expansion of glacial lakes, as described in an ISRO publication.
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“They also pose significant risks, such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which can have devastating consequences for downstream communities. GLOFs occur when glacial lakes release large amounts of meltwater due to the failure of natural dams, such as those made of moraine or ice, resulting in resulting in sudden and severe flooding downstream," The edition has been added.
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“This retreat leads to the formation of new lakes and the enlargement of existing lakes in the Himalayan region. These bodies of water, formed by the melting of glaciers, are known as glacial lakes and play a crucial role as sources of fresh water for rivers in the Himalayan region," the ISRO said in a statement.
It is emphasized that global research has consistently demonstrated unprecedented rates of glacier retreat and depletion since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the eighteenth century.
Using satellite images from 1984 to 2023, ISRO observed that of the 2,431 glacial lakes in the Indian Himalayas identified during the 2016-17 survey, 676 had expanded since 1984.
Among these, 130 lakes are located within India, spread across river basins such as the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra.
Furthermore, ISRO noted that 89% of these lakes have expanded more than twice their original size, with some growing between 1.5 and 2 times, and others expanding by 1.5 times since 1984.
The study classified glacial lakes into four main types based on the process of their formation: moraine dam, ice dam, erosion dam and others.
Of the expanding lakes, most were classified as moraine dams, followed by erosion dams and others, with only a few identified as ice dams.
Illustrating the gravity of the situation, ISRO presented the case of the Ghepang Ghat glacial lake in the Indus River Basin, located at an altitude of 4,068 meters in Himachal Pradesh.
During the period between 1989 and 2022, the lake witnessed a staggering 178% increase in size, growing from 36.49 dunams to 101.30 dunams, which translates to an annual increase of about 1.96 dunams.
