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Glacial Retreat & Disaster Risk on Tibetan Plateau

09 Sep 2026

Tags: Prelims   Current events of national and international importance

Source: The Hindu

  • Context: Rising temperatures are accelerating glacier retreat on the Tibetan Plateau, increasing the number and size of glacial lakes and consequently the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), landslides and downstream flooding.
  • Tibetan/Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: World's largest and highest plateau; major source region of several Asian rivers.
  • Glacier area: Declined to about 39,000 sq km, from 44,000 sq km and 51,000 sq km in earlier assessments.
  • Glacier loss: About 24% across the plateau over the period covered; nearly 40% shrinkage in parts of the Himalayas, Gangdise and Nyenchen Tanglha ranges over ~60 years.
  • Glacial lakes: 14,000+ mapped on the plateau; their increasing size raises disaster risks.
  • Major risks: GLOFs, landslides and floods; particularly significant for downstream regions of China, Nepal and India.
  • GLOF: Sudden release of water stored in or around a glacial lake, often triggered by ice/rock avalanches, rapid melting or moraine-dam failure.
  • Gangdise Mountains: Trans-Himalayan range; Mount Kailash is located in this range.
  • Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains: Mountain range of the Tibetan Plateau, forming an important part of the region's high-altitude geography.
  • The Tibetan Plateau is often called the “Third Pole” because it contains the largest concentration of snow and ice outside the Arctic and Antarctic.
  • Himalayan glacier changes are important for seasonal water availability in major river systems, including the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra.

Prelims Question

Q1. Consider the following pairs:

Mountain/RegionDescription
1. Gangdise MountainsTrans-Himalayan range associated with Mount Kailash
2. Nyenchen Tanglha MountainsMountain range forming part of the high-altitude geography of the Tibetan Plateau
3. Tibetan PlateauMajor high-altitude source region for several Asian rivers
4. Glacial LakeWater body whose sudden drainage can produce a GLOF

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

A. Only one
B. Only two
C. Only three
D. All four

Answer: D

Explanation:
 All four pairs are correctly matched.

The question tests whether the candidate can connect physical geography with disaster vulnerability. The Gangdise and Nyenchen Tanglha ranges form important parts of the Tibetan highland system, while the plateau acts as a major water source. A glacial lake can become hazardous when its containing moraine or other dam fails, releasing stored water suddenly.

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