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Srinagar, Over the past four decades, 122 glaciers in the Pir Panjal range have dramatically decreased in size, posing increased risks of glacial lake outburst floods and water scarcity impacting agriculture and daily life.
According to Kashmir Media Service, a comprehensive study assessing climate change impacts has documented that these glaciers, which previously covered an area of 25.7 square kilometers, now span only 15.9 square kilometers. The research, conducted by Mohammad Ashraf Ganai and Syed Qaiser Bukhari from the National Institute of Technology, has been detailed in the International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology.
The study analyzed changes from 1980 to 2020, noting that south-facing glaciers in the Pir Panjal range melted more significantly than those facing north. Additionally, glaciers at higher altitudes, specifically between 3,800 and 4,000 meters, have melted more extensively than those at lower elevations.
The ongoing reduction in glacier size is critical, not only for its immediate impact on water sources but also for the broader implications it holds for the region’s ecosystem and its vulnerability to catastrophic floods.