Source: TOI
Context: Glaciers of Mount Cilo in southeastern Turkey have lost nearly 50% of their ice cover in 40 years, with climate change and heatwaves accelerating melt rates.
About Mount Cilo:
- Location:
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- Mount Cilo is the second-highest peak in Turkey, rising to 4,135 meters at its summit Reşko (also called Gelyaşin or Uludoruk).
- It is situated in the Yüksekova district of Hakkâri Province, bordering Iraq, and lies within the East Taurus Mountains (Doğu Toroslar) in Eastern Anatolia.
- Physical Features:
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- It spans 30 km in length, forming the western arm of the Cilo-Sat Mountains National Park, declared in 2020.
- The massif has rugged topography with sharp ridges, steep limestone cliffs, deep gorges, and glacial valleys.
- Nearby is Suppa Durek (Erinç Tepe), Turkey’s third-highest peak at 4,116 meters.
- Glacial Retreat:
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- The region has seen rapid glacier loss due to global warming, with visual signs like ice blocks flowing into streams and receding ice sheets.
- Experts report half of the continuous snow and ice cover has vanished since the 1980s.
- Melting glaciers now feed torrents and waterfalls more intensely, altering water cycles.
- Climate Extremes:
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- Turkey has faced rising heatwaves and reduced rainfall.
- Silopi, just 200 km away, recorded 50.5°C in July 2025 — the hottest ever in Turkey.
- UN projections warn of 30% less rainfall and 5–6°C temperature rise by 2100 in the region.
