Himalayan glacial lakes across Ladakh, J&K and Himachal Pradesh flagged for risk of destructive flooding

More than 400 glacial lakes in India are showing alarming signs of expansion and require close monitoring to prevent potential disasters, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has warned in its latest report.

In its June 2025 monthly monitoring report on glacial lakes and water bodies, recently released to the public, the CWC said that 432 glacial lakes across Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh have been flagged for intensive surveillance due to the risk of sudden, destructive flooding.

"432 Glacial Lakes (out of 681) located within India as per Glacial Lake Atlas 2023 display increase in water spread area during the month of June 2025, and hence demand vigorous monitoring for disaster purpose," the report said.

Widespread flooding across North India

The findings come in the backdrop of widespread flooding across the country.

In Jammu and Kashmir, amid persistent downpours in Katra, the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage remained suspended for the seventh consecutive day, after a landslide on the yatra route claimed 34 lives last Tuesday.

According to the CWC report, the total glacial lake area in India has grown by over 30 per cent since 2011 -- rising from 1,917 hectares to 2,508 hectares.

"The total Inventory area of Glacial Lakes within India was 1,917 Ha during the year 2011 which has increased to 2,508 Ha during the year 2025 (June). There is a 30.83% increase in area. (Out of 100GLs, only 55 GLs were considered for this interpretation. The remaining lakes include 40 SDC lakes which have no inventory details as well as lakes which were not analysed/have been merged during the month of June, 2025.)," the report said.

Arunachal Pradesh accounts for the highest number of expanding lakes (197), followed by Ladakh (120), Jammu and Kashmir (57), Sikkim (47), Himachal Pradesh (6) and Uttarakhand (5).

Overall, the Himalayan region saw 1,435 glacial lakes expand in June 2025.

"Out of 2843 GLs & WBs monitored, 1435 show increase in area, 1008 show decrease in area, 108 show no change in area and 292 were not able to be analysed from remote sensing data, during the month of June 2025," the report said.

Stressing the need for urgent preparedness, the CWC recommended the installation of real-time monitoring systems, satellite-based alerts and early-warning mechanisms for downstream communities.

It also called for closer coordination between the Ministry of Jal Shakti, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and state disaster management authorities, alongside transboundary cooperation with Nepal, Bhutan and China, given that many expanding lakes lie across borders but feed Indian rivers.

"The Himalayan Region (HR) is facing important challenges in coping with the adverse effects of climate change. Physically, the shrinking of mountain glaciers and expansion of Glacial Lakes are amongst the most recognizable and dynamic impacts of climate warming in this environment," the report said.