In the last 60 years, Peru has experienced a significant decrease in glacier coverage, with over 50% of its glaciers disappearing. According to researchers from a government agency dedicated to studying glaciers, 175 glaciers have disappeared entirely due to the effects of climate change between 2016 and 2020.

Over the span of 58 years, there has been a 56.22% decrease in the amount of glacial coverage recorded in 1962, according to Mayra Mejía, an official from Peru’s National Institute of Research of Mountain Glaciers and Ecosystems (Inaigem).

According to Jesús Gómez, the director of glacier research at Inaigem, the main reason for the significant impact is the rise in the average temperature worldwide. This has led to a rapid melting of glaciers, particularly those located in tropical regions, as reported by The Associated Press.

The amount of glacial coverage in the South American country is now at 1,050 square kilometers (405 square miles), which is only 44% of what was documented in 1962 during the initial glacier inventory.

According to Mejía, a glaciology specialist, certain mountain ranges in Peru have experienced a significant decline in glaciers. Specifically, the Chila range has lost 99% of its glacial coverage since 1962.

Chila plays a crucial role as it is the source of the initial waters that form the Amazon River, the largest and most powerful river in the world, as they flow down from the glacier.

The president of Inagem, Beatriz Fuentealva, stated that the disappearance of glaciers poses a greater danger to those residing in low-lying regions. This was evident in 1970 when a massive glacier from the Huascarán mountain in the northern Andes collapsed due to a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. The resulting mudslide destroyed the city of Yungay and claimed the lives of over 20,000 people.

____

Subscribe to AP’s climate coverage at:

Stay updated on AP’s reporting on climate issues by visiting: https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

Receive updates on AP’s coverage of climate topics by subscribing to:

Source: wral.com