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News18
07-08-2025
- Climate
- News18
Uttarkashi Is A Wake-Up Call: Experts Warn Climate Crisis Is Making Disasters Alarmingly Frequent
Last Updated: Rising temperatures, altered rainfall/snow patterns, glacier retreat, and permafrost thaw are intensifying disasters in the Himalayas As scientists investigate the cause of the sudden deluge in Kheer Ganga, they unanimously point to a clear trend—rising temperatures in higher altitudes, driven by global warming, are making extreme weather events in the Himalayas more frequent and severe—turning them into a dangerous 'new normal". The flash floods hit Dharali village at an altitude of 2,745 metres on Tuesday afternoon despite minimal but relentless rainfall over Uttarkashi, both in the days preceding the disaster and on the day itself, and have prompted experts to explore various possibilities—whether it was caused by a cloudburst in the upper reaches or a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF). A cloudburst occurs when over 100 mm of rain falls within an hour in a small area. A GLOF happens when a high-altitude glacial lake is breached, often due to heavy rains, sending torrents of water downstream, triggering disastrous floods. Glacial lakes are forming rapidly with vast sheets of glaciers melting, accumulating the meltwater, but not all are actively monitored. 'It is hard to say definitely whether it was a cloudburst, an ice-rock avalanche, or a breached glacial lake in the upper valley," said Dr Farooq Azam, senior glacio-hydrologist currently at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). 'But what we do know with certainty is that temperatures are rising due to global warming, altering the historical rainfall and snowfall patterns, especially in the Himalayan landscape, which is extremely vulnerable." Scientists point to past incidents, such as in September 2018, when over 100 people were stranded in the Lahaul valley after unusually heavy rainfall—a time of the year when such downpours are rare. In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, a cold desert region like Lahaul-Spiti is witnessing more cloudbursts, including in the rain-scarce Pin Valley. Short bursts of heavy rains are on the rise. 'This is the clear message—a series of disasters unfolding across the Himalayas with increasing frequency and intensity. Yet we fail to learn from these disasters and continue to build recklessly and without proper planning," added Dr Azam. Temperatures are rising faster than ever before As temperatures rise, glaciers are retreating rapidly, and studies show that over a thousand such glacial lakes have formed in the Uttarakhand Himalayas, with many expanding. But another growing concern is permafrost thawing, which can release trapped water and weaken mountain slopes, increasing the risk of floods and landslides. Permafrost is ground that remains frozen for years. As it thaws due to rising temperatures, melting ice creates loose soil and runoff, triggering slope instability and flash floods. Experts link both the 2023 Sikkim GLOF and the 2021 Chamoli disaster to such permafrost-related triggers, including ice avalanches and glacial lake collapses. 'The climate crisis is no longer a future threat, and it is intensifying extreme weather events. The fragile Himalayan ecosystem, already under immense pressure, is starting to give way. Temperatures in higher altitudes are rising faster than in the plains. In Uttarakhand, the mountain rocks have been weathered, and repeated freezing and thawing due to extreme temperature fluctuations is weakening them further, making the terrain more unstable," said Dr Kalachand Sain, former director, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun. Future projections by Indian researchers published in the journal Atmosphere in 2022 showed further increases in maximum as well as minimum temperatures in Uttarakhand, with increased frequency of the monsoon's extreme rainfall events. The impact is projected to be more pronounced in the northern districts of Uttarkashi, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Pithoragarh. The risk assessment done by the Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Centre also ranked Rudraprayag and Tehri Garhwal in Uttarakhand as the most landslide-prone districts in India. Are we engineering our own disasters? 'A hazard becomes a disaster due to poor planning—settlements are repeatedly built in vulnerable zones, without proper environmental impact assessments or hazard maps. Dharali sits on the alluvial soil from past floods. Yet, the same mistakes keep happening. Even in Kedarnath, too, more settlements have come up," said Anand Sharma, senior meteorologist, known for predicting the heavy rain spell leading up to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster. Clearly, what was once seen as a freak occurrence is now alarmingly frequent. Yet, rampant construction, deforestation, and unchecked tourism continue to destabilise slopes, weaken riverbanks. 'The devastating loss in Uttarkashi must be our final wake-up call. With global warming supercharging the monsoons with short bursts of extreme rainfall, our own policies of cutting hills, unscientific, unsustainable, and reckless construction, and choking rivers for so-called 'development" are destroying our natural defences. Are we not engineering our own disasters? How long can we continue with reactive apologies after each preventable tragedy? We demand an immediate moratorium on all large-scale construction in these fragile Himalayan zones," said climate activist Harjeet Singh, founding director, Satat Sampada Climate Foundation. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : climate change Himalayas monsoon rain Uttarakhand Uttarkashi view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 07, 2025, 08:00 IST News india Uttarkashi Is A Wake-Up Call: Experts Warn Climate Crisis Is Making Disasters Alarmingly Frequent Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
17-07-2025
- Climate
- News18
NGT Reviews Threat Of Glacial Lakes Expansion In Himalayas, Seeks Report From Hydrology Institute
Last Updated: Glacial lakes form when glaciers start melting due to rising global temperatures and, if unstable, these lakes can burst, causing devastating floods downstream The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is examining the growing risks posed by the expansion of glacial lakes in the Himalayan region—a result of rapidly melting glaciers due to climate change. The tribunal has now asked the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) to submit a report within four weeks. The tribunal took note of the potential threats of these lakes overflowing or bursting, which could lead to devastating impacts downstream. A major glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in South Lhonak Lake in Sikkim had left a trail of destruction on October 3, 2023, also washing away a 1,200 MW Dam on Teesta river. The Central Water Commission (CWC) informed the tribunal that it had conducted analysis of as many as 100 glacial lakes (more than 10 Ha) across India—42 in Sikkim, 15 in Ladakh, 15 in Jammu and Kashmir, and nine each in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. Out of the total 100 lakes analysed, at least 34 are increasing, while 20 are decreasing, and there are about 67 dams along the flow path of these glacial lakes. The CWC stated that it has also completed a structured risk index, factoring in variables such as lake size, rate of expansion, slope stability, and the vulnerability of downstream infrastructure. This will help in developing a structured approach to identify and rank Glacial Lakes based on their likelihood of failure and the potential damage they could cause in the event of GLOF. The tribunal has directed NIH to submit its detailed suggestions within four weeks, and scheduled the hearing on October 16 to outline further steps. Glacial lakes form when the vast sheet of glaciers starts melting and the melt water is accumulated in the glacial lakes. As the global temperatures rise and climate change intensifies, many of the glaciers have also begun to withdraw at a rapid rate, triggering the formation of numerous such glacial lakes which, if unstable, can send torrents of water downstream and wreak disastrous floods. Environmental experts have also been demanding a thorough risk assessment of the existing hydel projects in the Himalayan states in view of the increasing risks. A stark reminder to the catastrophic Chamoli floods in 2021, Sikkim GLOF in October 2023 was a disaster foretold. Several studies in the past had pointed out the definite risk of a major dam breach due to the high probability of a glacial lake outburst (GLOF) in South Lhonak Lake—one of the largest and the fastest-growing lakes in the Teesta basin. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
