Himalayan lakes expanded by 9% in last 14 years: Report
A new report from the Central Water Commission (CWC), according to a recent report, reveals that glacial lakes and water bodies in the Himalayas have grown by 9.24% over the past 14 years—jumping from 5.30 lakh hectares in 2011 to 5.79 lakh hectares in 2025.
The report highlights that shrinking glaciers and expanding lakes are visible signs of global warming in the region.
Mapping over 28,000 lakes for early warning systems
Using Sentinel satellite data, the CWC tracked these changes—spotting 428 growing lakes, mostly in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Arunachal Pradesh.
The total area of water bodies across India also shot up by over 22%.
But it's not all good news: bigger lakes mean a higher risk of sudden glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which can be dangerous for communities downstream.
To help, the CWC is sharing regular updates with disaster teams and has mapped over 28,000 Himalayan lakes to boost early warning systems.