ID:
S_050
Assessing Himalayan Landscapes: An Evaluation of Terrain and Potential Hazards
Lead Convener
Vinit Kumar Department of Geology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India. vinitkumark17@gmail.com
Co Convener(s)
Manish Mehta Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. msmehta75@gmail.com Rakesh Bhambri Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. rakeshbhambri@gmail.com
Session Keywords
Glacial Hazards, Himalayan Cryosphere, Himalayan Landscapes, Terrain Stability Assessment
Commission
TERPRO
Abstract Category
Hazards
Session Description
The Himalaya, a young and fragile mountain system, is highly vulnerable to natural hazards due to its geology, topography, seismicity, and extreme weather. Hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, debris flows, avalanches, flash floods, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are increasing, especially above 3000 m asl, where rapid snow/ice melt and intense rainfall expand moraine-dammed lakes. Climate change and anthropogenic pressures, including unplanned development, worsen the risks. The IPCC (2022) highlights a global rise in extreme events, echoed in the recent disasters. Current fragmented research limits understanding of hazard drivers. This session invites interdisciplinary studies using in situ data, remote sensing, climate records, and machine learning to link glacier processes with terrain instability. We encourage innovations in data fusion, automated mapping, and open-access tools to monitor cryosphere changes and inform risk mitigation in this geodynamically active region.
