New Delhi: A new study has identified 219 hanging glaciers located in Uttarakhand’s Alaknanda basin and raised concern about the dangers of unstable ice formations on steep Himalayan slopes. Rising temperatures and fast climate change in the Himalayas have raised concern that sudden ice break-offs could be the cause of the breakup of mountains downstream.
The findings were published in April 2026 in the journal Natural Hazards in a paper ‘Basin-scale inventory and exposure assessment of hanging glaciers, Central Himalaya’. The study focuses on the Garhwal Himalayas and provides a detailed basin-level assessment of hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda basin, a region where such ice formations have not been studied at this scale.
The Himalayan region is experiencing rapid warming, with changes in temperatures affecting glaciers and the frozen ground around them, the researchers said. The stability of high-altitude ice masses (especially those on steep mountain slopes) could be affected.
Himalayan glaciers are more and more showing signs of geometric and dynamic instability under rapid warming and climate variability, the study says. This instability has led to the growth and persistence of hanging glaciers in a world where sudden ice break-offs can cause severe downstream effects.
The researchers noted that hanging glaciers have been studied extensively in the Alps, but such large-scale studies for hanging glaciers in the Himalayan region are scarce. The latest study therefore provides crucial information about the location, size and potential exposure of hanging glaciers in one of Uttarakhand's major Himalayan river basins.
219 Glaciers Spread Across 71.7 Square Kilometres
Researchers identified 219 hanging glaciers on the Alaknanda basin using the GlabTop2 model. These glaciers cover an area of approximately 71.7 ± 3.5 square kilometres.
The total ice volume of the identified glaciers was estimated to be about 2.39 ± 0.42 cubic kilometres. Almost 0.74 ± 0.14 cubic kilometres of this ice mass was classified as hanging ice. This means that almost one-third of the total ice volume estimates in this study consists of ice that is hanging in glaciers.
Hanging glaciers grow on steep mountain slopes and can be connected to the surrounding area by relatively narrow sections of ice. Their location and structure can make them subject to temperature, glacier movement and the stability of the frozen ground in the vicinity.
If a section of a hanging glacier breaks away, large volumes of ice can rapidly move downhill. Such events may also interact with snow, rocks and water along their path; that could have a significant impact on valleys and river systems below.
The geography of the Alaknanda basin makes monitoring these glaciers particularly important. The area is characterized by steep slopes, deep valleys, settlements and huge infrastructure projects. There are several communities and key routes located downstream, increasing concerns about the possible consequences of sudden high-altitude ice failures.
Climate Change is also a concern for Glacier Instability.
The impact of climate change on Himalayan glaciers is growing. As temperatures rise, it can accelerate glacier melting and also interfere with the stability of ice and permanently frozen ground in high-altitude areas.
Temperature changes can also affect snowfall patterns and the conditions that hold ice and rocks together on steep slopes in a very unstable environment. The researchers believe these factors could increase instability in some vulnerable places in the Himalayas.
Ashim Sattar, assistant professor at IIT Bhubaneswar and an author of the study, said climate change is having a significant impact in large parts of the Himalayan region.
The 219 hanging glaciers are one of the first detailed inventories of such formations in Uttarakhand. The database helps us to better understand where the glaciers are located and how much ice they contain.
It might be useful to scientists, disaster management agencies and policymakers. Finding vulnerable glaciers is regarded as a very first step in identifying potential hazards and developing appropriate monitoring systems.
Research on climate change in the Himalayas is now in full bloom. Rising temperatures affect the region’s glaciers, changing precipitation patterns and variations in the stability of ice and frozen mountain terrain.
Need for Regular Monitoring and Disaster Planning
Researchers have pointed out the importance of monitoring vulnerable glaciers regularly as part of Uttarakhand’s overall disaster preparedness strategy. Monitoring glacier size, ice volume, slope conditions and temperature changes would enable scientists to spot where areas need to be monitored more closely.
The number of 219 hanging glaciers does not necessarily mean that all of them are in imminent danger of collapse. However, their presence highlights the need for continued scientific observation, particularly in a rapidly warming Himalayan environment.
With regular monitoring, authorities would be able to see how these glaciers change over time and if some areas are getting more and more unstable. Early warning of risks could also support disaster planning and preparedness for communities living downstream.
The latest research underlines the need for more rigorous research and long-term monitoring as climate change will impact the Himalayan region forever. If we know where vulnerable ice formations are and how they respond to environmental changes, we will reduce disaster risk and therefore the risk of extinction.
