Himalayan mountains vulnerable because of climate change: experts

Mumbai: Changing snowfall and rainfall patterns due to climate change have made the Himalayan mountains vulnerable—glacier retreat and permafrost thaw have decreased the stability of mountain slopes and the integrity of infrastructure, meteorologists and climate change experts said in the wake of cloudburst triggered mudslide and flash flood in Uttarkashi’s Dharali village.

Climate change has been consistently altering monsoon weather patterns, disturbing the distribution of the rainfall. Western Himalayan states, which are located on the northern edge of the Indian monsoon, are highly vulnerable to heavy rainfall. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have witnessed several devastating floods exacerbated by rising temperatures.

A detailed briefing note by Climate Trends post the 5 August 2025 incident titled “Uttarakhand Disaster: A Case of Missed Monitoring of Himalayan Threats amid Climate Change” - outlines how rising temperatures, accelerated glacier melt, and erratic monsoons—driven by larger atmospheric shifts due to climate change—are creating a dangerous mix of conditions across the Himalayas.

“Ecologically, the Himalayas are very fragile as they are the youngest mountain range in the world. This makes it a very sensitive region. Concerned authorities and local bodies should include scientists while carrying out any construction in the region, as they are well-versed in the geology. When such torrential rainfall occurs over hill slopes, it becomes more dangerous as debris flow leads to erosion due to landslides, making flash floods more powerful and disastrous,” said Prof Y P Sundriyal, Adjunct Faculty, Geology, Doon University, Uttarakhand.

“With the axis of the monsoon trough running through the foothills of the Himalayas, we had already predicted a red alert for Uttarakhand. While the affected region is prone to cloudbursts, such a turn of events is due to the climate change-led rise in temperatures,” said Mahesh Palawat, Vice President, Meteorology and Climate Change, Skymet Weather.

“A huge influx of moisture from the abnormal warming of oceans increases the capacity of the air to hold more water vapour. The Himalayas act as barriers, which give rise to vertically developed convective clouds, known as Cumulonimbus clouds. Sometimes, the vertical height of such clouds might even reach up to 50,000 feet. These clouds are like a column of water, which, when restricted due to topography like the mountains, can lead to the release of water over a smaller area in a shorter duration. This may lead to similar conditions to what we have witnessed in Uttarakhand,” he added.

“The rapid warming over the Middle East and the Mediterranean is a signature of global warming. This regional warming has been pulling the southwestern winds northward over the Arabian Sea. There is excess moisture being pumped into the Himalayan foothills. Similar conditions are being cited during the ongoing seasons as well. Because of this northward shift of the south-westerly winds, we might end up with more heavy rainfall events all the way into Himachal Pradesh and Leh Ladakh before the season is over,” said Dr Raghu Murtugudde, Climate Scientist, Emeritus Professor, University of Maryland & Retired Professor, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay.

“Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) play a vital role by providing real-time data from the Himalayas, especially in their upper reaches. This information helps authorities issue timely alerts, enabling communities to prepare and evacuate in advance, thus saving lives and reducing damage. Given the rising intensity of climate-induced disasters, India must expand its network of AWS and invest in advanced forecasting technology to build a more resilient and prepared society,” said Prof Anjal Prakash, Clinical Associate Professor (Research) and Research Director, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business and IPPC Author.

“It is very important to have floodplain zoning and to identify the regions that are extremely prone to flooding. If there is an early warning of extreme precipitation, immediately carry out evacuation from the region under the extreme flood zone. We should learn from how we have handled cyclones. We need to list the places according to the danger levels and that is how only we can save people,” said Dr Subimal Ghosh, Institute Chair Professor, Department of Civil Engineering & Convener, Interdisciplinary Program in Climate Studies, IIT-B, Mumbai.