Glacier melting has accelerated in the Himalayas and permafrost is shrinking, which could lead to less fresh water and landslides in Asia
Melting glaciers in the Hindu Kush mountain system in the Himalayas threaten the existence of two billion people who live in areas where the rivers from these mountains run, Bloomberg reported.
The Hindu Kush is located on the territory of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Several mountain peaks here have a height of more than seven thousand meters.
According to a study by the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Nepal, in the past 11 years, the glaciers in the area have melted by 65% than a decade earlier. Scientists have linked this to emissions from human activities. If they are not reduced, the glaciers will melt by 80% by the end of the 21st century, reducing freshwater supplies in 12 rivers in 16 countries of the region.
In addition to melting glaciers, the area of permafrost in the Hindu Kush is shrinking. Against this background, landslides may become more frequent.
In these mountain ranges extending more than 3,500 kilometers in length from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east, permafrost is also shrinking, which may trigger new landslides, the researchers said.
Melting snow, glaciers and permafrost will lead to more natural disasters that will be more deadly and costly, ICIMOD warned and called for emissions reductions.