Srinagar, Sept. 5 -- Himalayan arc, stretching across fragile seismic zones and weather-sensitive terrain, is today confronting a compounded risk that cannot be ignored. Glacial lake outburst floods and snow avalanches are no longer rare, isolated events; they are becoming recurring threats as climate change accelerates the melting of glaciers and destabilised mountain systems. The vulnerability of high-altitude regions, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, is stark. Heavy snowfall, rapid warming and erratic weather patterns combine to create conditions where unstable glacial lakes and avalanche-prone slopes pose grave danger to communities living in remote valleys.

Himalayan belt is dotted with lakes formed by retreating glaciers, many of...