Melting Glaciers
At a time when water levels of reservoirs elsewhere in the Punjab in India were low because of delayed monsoon1 rains, the water at the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej River reached almost double the previous year’s level. Why? The main tributary2 of the Sutlej passes through an area that has 89 glaciers, states the magazine Down to Earth. “Monsoon failure has resulted in increased glacier recession. Since there are no clouds, sunlight reaching the glaciers is much more intense. This, combined with very high temperatures, is leading to the rapid melting,” explains glacier specialist Syed Iqbal Hasnain of Jawa-harlal Nehru University. Experts feel that the melting may lead to overflow of glacial lakes. Moreover, smaller glaciers would mean that future water supplies would be reduced, negatively affecting energy production and agriculture.
1 monsoon – сезон дождей
2 tributary – приток
Источник: School English
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