Scientists studying the Khangri glacier in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district have flagged rapid melting, unstable terrain formation and the emergence of a new glacial lake that could pose a flood threat to downstream areas in the Mago Chu basin, an official said on Monday.
The findings were recorded during the fifth Khangri glacier expedition conducted by the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS), in collaboration with the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research and the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology.
The expedition began on May 4 in the transboundary Mago Chu basin, a key headwaters region of the Brahmaputra river system, with the objective of glacier health assessment, cryosphere monitoring and climate hazard mapping in the eastern Himalayas.
CESHS director Tage Tana said the team observed “alarming geomorphological changes in the Khangri glacier”, indicating the growing impact of climate variability in the high-altitude Himalayan region.
Among the key observations was the formation of a large glacier sinking zone, where the glacier snout is rapidly collapsing and creating unstable terrain. Scientists warned that such changes could heighten landscape hazards and downstream vulnerability in the Mago Chu basin.
The team also identified a newly formed proglacial lake at an altitude of around 16,500 feet. Researchers said the lake has the potential to trigger a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), which could impact downstream communities and river systems, including transboundary areas.
Also read: Scientists find aquatic life at 20 m in Khangri Glacier Survey
Despite relatively good snowfall during the winter season, the study found that glacier melting continues at a critical pace due to rising temperatures and persistent climate variability across the eastern Himalayas.
To strengthen long-term monitoring, scientists installed five new observation stakes at nearly 17,000 feet using ice-core drilling systems integrated with Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) technology. These will help track glacier mass balance and surface movement over time.
The team also retrieved data from an automatic weather station and an automatic water level recorder, while carrying out maintenance and calibration to ensure continuous environmental monitoring in the high-altitude zone.
In addition, moraine sediment and glacier meltwater samples were collected from the glacier snout for geochemical analysis.
Tana said the expedition has strengthened long-term cryosphere monitoring in the eastern Himalayas and will provide crucial inputs on glacier dynamics, water security and climate-linked hazards in the region.
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