Permafrost melting emerges as a new environmental threat in Kashmir Himalayas | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Permafrost melting emerges as a new environmental threat in Kashmir Himalayas

Posted 26 Mar 2025

2 min read

A new Study published in Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment assessed the implications of permafrost degradation-related hazards in the Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Himalayas.

  • Permafrost is any ground that remains completely frozen—32°F (0°C) or colder—for at least two years straight.

Key Findings of the Study

  • Permafrost covers 64.8% of the total geographic area of J&K and Ladakh
    • Of this 26.7% is continuous permafrost (most of the soil is frozen), 23.8% is discontinuous (more than half of the soil is frozen), and 14.3% is sporadic (intermittent patches of frozen soil).
  • Identified 332 proglacial lakes, of which 65 have differing Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risks. E.g., Chamoli (2021) and South Lhonak (2023) disasters linked to permafrost degradation
    • Proglacial Lake is formed when water from a melting glacier collects in a depression in the landscape or when its flow is dammed.
  • Infrastructure and Security Risks: Many strategic roads pass through permafrost zones in Ladakh.
  • Hydrological Changes: Impact on river flow and groundwater availability
  • Reasons for degradation: Rising surface temperatures are the main driver; natural events such as earthquakes triggered permafrost breakdown; human activities like deforestation, real estate, dams, roads, etc.

Way Forward

  • Integrated planning: Incorporate permafrost and cryosphere data into regional infrastructure and land-use planning, risk-sensitive zoning regulations, etc.
  • Enhanced Monitoring: Utilize satellite-based remote sensing and ground-based LiDAR technology to track permafrost degradation and associated geomorphological changes.
  • Comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessments: Strengthen EIA frameworks to explicitly assess risks from permafrost thaw, including its role in triggering Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), landslides, and slope instability.
  • Tags :
  • Glacial Lake Outburst Floods
  • Permafrost
  • Remote Sensing
  • LiDAR Technology
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