ISRO study warns melting ice patches on glaciers pose greater flash flood threat
A study by ISRO scientists, published in NPJ Natural Hazards, reveals that melting ice patches on glaciers pose a greater flash flood threat than previously understood. The research, focusing on the August 2025 Dharali village flash flood in Uttarakhand, links the disaster to the collapse of an ice patch on the Srikanta glacier. This event highlights how deglaciation and thinning seasonal snow cover expose unstable ice, which can melt or fragment rapidly, triggering mass movements and floods. The study emphasizes the need for continuous satellite monitoring of glaciers, particularly nivation hollows and exposed ice patches, to improve early warning systems and disaster preparedness in high-altitude Himalayan regions.
Key Points
- Melting ice patches on glaciers are a significant, under-recognized cause of flash floods in the Himalayas.
- The 2025 Dharali village flash flood in Uttarakhand was linked to the collapse of an ice patch on the Srikanta glacier, triggered by deglaciation.
- Thinning seasonal snow and firn cover expose unstable ice patches, which are highly susceptible to rapid melting and fragmentation.
- Nivation hollows, where snow accumulates and erodes the ground, are identified as geomorphologically sensitive zones for cryospheric instability.
- Continuous satellite monitoring of glaciers and exposed ice patches is crucial for developing effective early warning systems for such hazards.
Exam Facts
- The study was published in NPJ Natural Hazards by ISRO scientists.
- The August 5, 2025 flash flood destroyed Dharali village in Uttarakhand and killed six people.
- The Srikanta Glacier is a small- to medium-sized valley glacier with a height of 6,133 m.
- Nivation is defined as the erosion of the ground beneath and around a snow bank due to alternate freezing and thawing.
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