"Hanging Glaciers in Alaknanda Basin Pose Growing Avalanche Risk"
Hanging Glacier
an ice mass perched on a steep slope, attached to the mountain face at limited points, prone to sudden detachment
GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood)
sudden release of water from a glacial lake when its ice or moraine dam fails
The Himalayan mountain system is one of the youngest and most geologically active ranges on Earth. Glaciers here are not static ice masses. They are dynamic systems that move under gravity, erode bedrock, and respond sensitively to temperature and precipitation changes. As NCERT physical geography notes, glaciers move because of gravitational force, and their movement can range from a few centimetres to several metres per day. In the Himalayas, this movement is complicated by steep slopes, active tectonics, and intense monsoon variability.
The Alaknanda basin in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand is one of the most glaciated and hazard-prone sub-basins in India. It drains into the Ganga system and passes through pilgrimage and infrastructure corridors including the Badrinath-Mana sector. The basin has been the site of repeated glacial disasters, including the 2021 Chamoli disaster, where a massive ice-rock collapse destroyed hydropower plants, swept away bridges, and killed over 200 people. Understanding the specific glacial processes at work in this basin is therefore both a scientific and a governance priority.
Global warming is altering the thermal and mechanical properties of Himalayan glaciers faster than in most other mountain systems. Rising temperatures reduce the internal cohesion of ice and thaw the permafrost that anchors glaciers to bedrock. This creates conditions for a specific and dangerous type of glacier: the hanging glacier.
A hanging glacier is an ice mass perched on a steep slope, often above a cliff or a valley wall, rather than flowing down a valley floor. Unlike valley glaciers that are grounded along their full length, hanging glaciers are attached to the mountain face at only a few points. Their stability depends on the friction between ice and rock, the temperature of the basal ice, and the structural integrity of the underlying permafrost. When any of these factors is disturbed by warming, the glacier can detach suddenly and fall.
The detachment of a hanging glacier triggers an ice avalanche, which is qualitatively different from a snow avalanche. Ice avalanches carry far greater kinetic energy, travel at high speeds, and can entrain rock, debris, and water as they descend. The study published in April 2026 by researchers from IIT Bhubaneswar and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru found that simulated avalanche flows from hanging glacier break-offs in the Badrinath-Mana sector could exceed 50 metres in height. …
With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements:
1.The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater.
2.The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following pairs:
Glacier — River
1.Bandarpunch — Yamuna
2.Bara Shigri — Chenab
3.Milam — Mandakini
4.Siachen — Nubra
5.Zemu — Manas
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements:
1.The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater.
2.The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following pairs:
Peak — Mountains
1.Namcha Barwa — Garhwal Himalaya
2.Nanda Devi — Kumaon Himalaya
3.Nokrek — Sikkim Himalaya
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Consider the following statements regarding hanging glaciers in the Himalayan region:
1.A hanging glacier is an ice mass perched on a steep slope that can detach and trigger ice avalanches.
2.The detachment of a hanging glacier can trigger secondary hazards such as Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).
3.Basin-scale assessments of hanging glaciers in the Himalayas are as well-developed as those in the Alps.
4.A study identified 219 hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda basin of the Garhwal Himalayas.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Match the following glacier-related hazard terms with their correct descriptions:
1.Hanging glacier — (a) Sudden release of water from a lake held by an ice or moraine dam
2.GLOF — (b) Ice mass perched on a steep slope, prone to sudden detachment
3.Ice avalanche — (c) High-energy, fast-moving mass of ice and debris released from a steep slope
4.Cascading hazard — (d) A sequence where one disaster triggers one or more secondary events
Which of the following matchings is correct?
With reference to the Alaknanda basin hanging glacier study, consider the following statements:
1.The study identified hanging glaciers covering approximately 71.7 sq km in the Alaknanda basin.
2.Simulated avalanche flows in the Badrinath-Mana sector could exceed 100 metres in height.
3.Infrastructure at risk in the basin is projected to increase by 120% by 2030 compared to 2000.
4.The population at risk in the basin is projected to increase by 17% by 2030.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following best explains why a hanging glacier poses a greater compound hazard than a typical valley glacier?
Consider the following statements about disaster preparedness in the context of Himalayan glacial hazards:
1.The 2021 Chamoli disaster in Uttarakhand involved an ice-rock collapse that destroyed hydropower plants and killed over 200 people.
2.The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 prioritises reactive relief over risk reduction.
3.The contrast between the Chamoli disaster and the 2025 Blatten avalanche in Switzerland demonstrates that preparedness and monitoring can significantly reduce casualties from comparable events.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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