Climate Change: 89% of glacial lakes in Indian Himalayas expanding at unprecedented rate, says ISRO. What are the risks?

livemint.com:

ISRO) said on Monday an analysis of decades of satellite imagery has revealed that glaciers across the Indian Himalayas—often called the Third Pole because of extensive glaciers and snow cover—are melting at an unprecedented rate, resulting in significant expansion of the glacial lakes. “This retreat leads to the formation of new lakes and the enlargement of existing ones in the Himalayan region.

These bodies of water, created by the melting of glaciers, are known as glacial lakes and play a crucial role as freshwater sources for rivers in the Himalayan region," the ISRO said in a release. “They also pose significant risks, such as Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which can have devastating consequences for communities downstream.

GLOFs occur when glacial lakes release large volumes of meltwater due to the failure of natural dams, such as those made of moraine or ice, resulting in sudden and severe flooding downstream," the release added. It is important to note that research conducted worldwide has consistently shown that glaciers across the globe have been experiencing unprecedented rates of retreat and thinning since the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth century.

Using the satellite imagery from 1984 to 2023, the ISRO noted that of 2,431 glacial lakes of the Indian Himalayas —larger than 10 hectares identified during the 2016-17 satellite survey, 676 glacial lakes have expanded since 1984. This includes 130 lakes situated within India—65 lakes located in the Indus River basin, 7 in the Ganga River basin, and 58 in the Brahmaputra River basin.