Himalayan study: Effect of climate change and melting of glaciers
Abstract Uttarakhand state of India is highly vulnerable to climate mediated risks. The study analyses the last 35 years climatological changes and historical flash flood events in the Uttarakhand state of India. Change in land forms and loss of soil has been assessed for the years of major flash flood events by using Remote sensing images. Study shows that the large amount of soil displacement from higher slopes due to flash flood impacts. Sudden rise and rapid fall of water levels, as well as the high flow velocities combined with large sediment, transports large amount of debris at the lower reaches causing heavy amount of soil losses. Excess rainfall events are the major cause of receding glaciers and upwardly moving snowline and depleting natural resources. Erratic rainfall events leading to flash floods, induces changes in water resources and causes landslides to glacial melt in the Himalayas. Increased flood events are affecting water resources a...