Kashmiri & Himalayan Glaciers Melting Rapidly; Nearly All Streamflows Down By More Than 60% - AFP

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Himalayan glaciers are the headwaters for Asia's nine largest rivers, crucial for the 1.3 billion people who live downstream. The melting glaciers could endanger water supplies for hundreds of millions of people, it said. "Emission of greenhouse gases is the biggest threat to Kashmir's ecology and environment," said Arjimand Talib, head of ActionAid's Kashmir chapter, releasing the report in Srinagar, summer capital of the revolt-hit region.

"Many of the areas have seen a complete disappearance of small glaciers. In other areas, the height of the small glaciers has reduced to over one-fourth of the original height," the 28-page report from the non governmental group said. Major glaciers were also melting fast, the report said, while water levels in almost all the streams and rivers in Kashmir have decreased by two-thirds during the last 40 years.

"Hundreds of springs spread all across Kashmir have either dried up or are in the process of drying up," the report added.

The source of the data in the report is unclear, but a study of 466 Himalayan glaciers by scientists with the Indian Space Research Organisation has estimated their area had shrunk by 21 percent since the 1960s. That study, published in January, was based on satellite images.

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http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Climate_change_melting_Kashmir_glaciers_report_999.html