130-glacial-lakes-in-indian-himalayas-show-notable-expansion-isro-finds

According to the Indian Space and Research Organisation, over 27% of the identified glacial lakes in the Himalayas have notably expanded since 1984, and 130 of them are in India. 

 

The space agency said long-term satellite imagery covering the catchments of Indian Himalayan river basins from 1984 to 2023 indicates significant changes in glacial lakes.

 

"Of the 2,431 lakes larger than 10 hectares identified during 2016-17, 676 glacial lakes have notably expanded since 1984," it said.

 

ISRO said 601 of the 676 lakes have expanded more than twice, ten lakes have grown between 1.5 and two times, and 65 lakes have grown 1.5 times.

 

It said 130 of the 676 lakes are situated within India, with 65, seven, and 58 located in the Indus, Ganga and the Brahmaputra river basins, respectively.

 

Their analysis revealed that 314 lakes are located in the 4,000-5,000-metre range and 296 above 5,000 metres.

 

ISRO has reported that the Ghepang Ghat glacial lake, situated in the Indus basin at an altitude of 4,068 metres in Himachal Pradesh, has undergone significant long-term changes. Between 1989 and 2022, the lake's size increased by 178 per cent, from 36.49 hectares to 101.30 hectares. The rate of the lake's expansion is approximately 1.96 hectares per year.

 

Multiple global researches have consistently shown that glaciers worldwide have been experiencing unprecedented rates of retreat and thinning due to human-caused climate change.