India monitors Himalayan glaciers after
India's Uttarakhand state has ordered monitoring of glaciers and glacial lakes following a deadly flood in Nepal caused by a collapsing hanging glacier.
India has increased surveillance of its Himalayan glaciers following a catastrophic flood in neighbouring Nepal. The disaster management minister for Uttarakhand, Madan Kaushik, told AFP that state teams have been instructed to monitor all glaciers and known glacial lakes in the region.
"Since we share a border with Nepal, as a neighbour, and also have a similar geographic situation, we have asked our department to monitor all the glaciers and known glacial lakes in the region," Kaushik said. Uttarakhand, considered ecologically sensitive, is home to 1,266 glacial lakes.
The flood in Nepal was triggered by the collapse of a 'hanging glacier'. Jeffrey Kargel, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, identified the source as a small hanging glacier near Langtang Lirung peak. He said the glacier's retreat in a warming climate likely caused the failure, as the ice lost the physical support that had previously held its lower section in place.
What are hanging glaciers?
A hanging glacier is a mass of ice perched on a steep mountain slope, detached from a larger parent glacier. Their position makes them inherently unstable. They constantly shed ice through small avalanches rather than settling into a stable shape, behaving like an "unbalanced avalanching glacier."
When a large section breaks away, the resulting avalanche of ice and rock can race downhill. This debris can dam mountain streams, creating a temporary blockage. Water builds up behind it until the dam fails, releasing a destructive surge of water and debris.
The scale of the risk in India
Research indicates the threat is significant. A study published in npj Natural Hazards in April identified 219 hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda basin of Uttarakhand's Garhwal Himalayas alone. These cover over 71 square kilometres and sit on slopes averaging 33 degrees. A separate, ongoing assessment has found at least 858 hanging glaciers along India's roughly 2,500-kilometre Himalayan range.
The study's simulations for Uttarakhand's Badrinath-Mana sector showed an avalanche could reach flow heights exceeding 50 metres, enough to overwhelm major settlements. The research warned such collapses can also trigger secondary hazards like glacial lake outburst floods.
| Metric | 2000 | Projected 2030 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-up land exposed to avalanche flows (Alaknanda basin) | ~8,000 sq m | ~152,000 sq m | +1,700% |
| Population in exposed areas (Alaknanda basin) | ~380 | ~8,500 | Substantial increase |
The study's authors concluded these findings "highlight the need for targeted monitoring and risk-informed planning." Pam Pearson, director of the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative, told the Indian Express the study had sadly predicted the tragic events in Nepal. She said it underscores the need for closer monitoring to provide better warnings.
Pearson argued this will require greater funding for monitoring programs, but such costs are small compared to the toll of lost lives and livelihoods. She also called the disaster a "wake-up call" on moving away from fossil fuels, stating the economic cost of a rapid transition would be far smaller than the continued toll of climate-linked disasters.
India's Himalayan region contains an estimated 10,000 glaciers, with 1,495 in Uttarakhand. Many are retreating as the region warms. These glaciers provide water to nearly two billion people, and scientists warn they are melting faster than ever. This trend, combined with poorly planned development, is increasing the frequency and severity of disasters across the region.
