Expansion of Glacial Lakes in the Indian Himalayas

Recently, India's space agency, ISRO, has unveiled findings from satellite data analysis indicating the expansion of glacial lakes in the catchments of Indian Himalayan River basins.

• This development underscores the growing risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and their potential impact on downstream infrastructure and settlements.

Key Findings

• ISRO conducted a comprehensive analysis of satellite data spanning four decades, from 1984 to 2023, covering the catchments of Indian Himalayan River basins.
• The analysis revealed significant expansion in the size of glacial lakes, with 676 lakes larger than 10 hectares showing notable growth since 1984.
• Among the identified lakes, 601 had more ....