Alarm bells ring: Uttarakhand's glacier lakes swell, signalling future disasters

THE Himalayan region of Uttarakhand is witnessing an alarming proliferation of glacial lakes, a trend that experts warn could signal major future disasters in this ecologically fragile zone.

- NARENDRA SETHI @ Dehradun

A recent study by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) has brought this worrying development to the fore. The study reveals a significant increase in the number of glaciers across the state, currently recorded at 1,290, up from 1,266 a decade ago. Concurrently, the area covered by glacial lakes has expanded by a substantial 8.1 per cent. This growth underscores the severe impacts of climate change on the delicate Himalayan ecosystem.