Himachal Has Lost Over 18% Snow Cover In Just One Year Due To Climate Change, Finds Study
Around the world, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events ranging from droughts, floods, hurricanes, snowstorms, etc are on the rise and scientists have blamed climate change for this.
In India too, such freak weather events have become not so rare and it is predicted to get worse in the coming days and years.
Recently, the hill state of Himachal Pradesh had been in the news for a series of deadly landslides that have claimed dozens of lives.
The increase in the number of landslides is not the only environmental concern the Himalayan state is facing.
A new study has found that the snow cover in Himachal Pradesh has been reduced by as much as 18.5% in just one year.
According to the Assessment of Spatial Distribution of Seasonal Snow Cover during the Year 2020-21 in Himachal Pradesh Using AWIFS Satellite Data¡¯ carried out by the Centre on Climate Change of the Himachal Pradesh Council for Science Technology and Environment (HIMCOSTE) and Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, the reduction was observed between October 2020 to May 2021.
The area under snow in Himachal Pradesh measured 19183 square kilometer which was 23542 sqkm in the previous year 2019-20 showing a decrease in minus 18.52 pc, as per the report.
Most of the snow cover recedes by minus 23.49 per cent under Ravi Basin in the state as it was 1619.82 sqkm in 2020-21 compared to 2108.13 sqkm of 2019-20, followed by minus 23.16 pc Satluj basin measured 9045.50 sq km compared to 11823.1 sq km.
The snow cover come down by minus 18.54 pc in Beas basin recorded 2002.03 sqkm that of 2457.68 sqkm in previous years and Chenab basis minus 8.92 pc (6515.91 in 2020-21 and 7154.11 sq km in 2019-20).
The report begins with the words that state receives winter precipitation in the form of snow at high altitude in about one-third of state area also remained under thick snow cover during the winter.
The state snow cover thaws into major rivers like Chenab, Beas, Parvati, Baspa, Spiti, Ravi, Satluj and their perennial tributaries originating from the Himalayas depend upon the snowfall cover.
Himachal Pradesh, which is 17th largest state in the country with a total area with 55,673 sq km, has one third of its area i.e. 23,542 sq Km under snow cover. The remaining 37,033 sq km (66.52 per cent) is forest area.
