Hanging Glaciers in the Alaknanda Basin

Why in the News?

A recent study published in Nature magazine found that there are 219 hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda basin of the Garhwal Himalayas.

About Hanging Glaciers

Hanging glaciers are masses of ice perched on steep mountain slopes. They can detach from the slope and trigger massive ice avalanches.

Formation of Hanging Glaciers

Hanging glaciers form when a major valley glacier retreats and thins. This leaves tributary glaciers in smaller valleys positioned high above the surface of the shrunken central glacier.

If the entire glacier system melts and disappears, the resulting empty high-altitude valleys are known as hanging valleys.

Impacts and Associated Hazards

Glacier Break-offs: Hanging glaciers pose a significant risk of sudden detachment, which can trigger large ice avalanches.

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs): Glacier break-offs can trigger secondary hazards, including GLOFs, which occur when water stored in glacial lakes is suddenly released.

Climate Change Vulnerability: Glaciers in high-elevation alpine environments are highly sensitive to climate variability and rising temperatures. This sensitivity is particularly significant in the Himalayas, where warming over the past two decades has exceeded the global average, contributing to accelerated glacier retreat.