Indian team discovers over 100 unstable hanging glaciers in Himalayas of Uttarakhand

A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, DRDO, and IIT-Bhubaneswar has identified hundreds of potentially unstable hanging glaciers in the Central Himalayas. The study focused on the Alaknanda river basin in Uttarakhand, mapping over 200 hanging glaciers, many located above populated valleys, roads, and hydropower installations. The team found that a significant number of these glaciers hang directly over exposed slopes or river valleys, making them highly dangerous. Areas around Joshimath and Vishnuprayag are key hotspots, with clusters of large hanging glaciers coinciding with dense human activity. The study highlights the role of climate change in increasing instability and warns of the urgent need for continuous monitoring, early warning systems, and risk-informed planning in Himalayan regions. The findings point to the need for integrating glacier mapping into development planning, especially in ecologically sensitive zones.