For the first time in 30 years, the Himalayan Mountains are visible in India due to lower levels of air pollution as a result of a nationwide lockdown. It’s the first time millions of people living within 100 miles of the world’s largest mountain range have been able to see them in all their beauty.

India, a country of nearly 1.4 billion people, has been under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic since 22 March.

This, officials say, is contributing to improved air quality nationwide.

According to the India Today Data Intelligence Unit (DIU) from March 16-27, the air quality index improved by 33 percent on an average in the country, SBS Hindi reports. 

The Himalayan mountains are the tallest mountains on Earth and include the highest peak in the world, Mt. Everest.

According to WBUR, about 2 billion people depend on the Himalayan mountains for water.

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7 Fun Facts About The Himalayan Mountains:

by MSN

1. It Is One Of The Youngest Mountain Ranges In The World

• The Himalayas are close to 25 million years old and stand as one of the youngest mountains in the world. The mountain range was formed as a result of a collision between Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

2. It’s Also The Most Restless Set Of Mountains

• The Indo-Australian plate is presently moving at 67 mm per year and in the next 10 million years it is calculated to travel about 1,500 km into Asia. No other mountain range is moving this fast.

3. The Himalayas, If Literally Translated, Means ‘Abode of Snow’

• The Himalayas were named by joining two Sanskrit words — ‘Hima’, which means snow and ‘Alaya,’ which means abode, literally meaning ‘Abode of Snow’.

4. Mt. Everest’s Original Name Is ‘Sagarmatha’

• People in Nepal call the highest peak – ‘Sagarmatha’, which means ‘Goddess of the Universe’. The Tibetans call it ‘Chomolungma’, which means ‘Goddess Mother of Mountains’. Mount Everest was named in honour of Sir George Everest, the predecessor of Sir Andrew Waugh, the Surveyor General of India, 1865.

5. The Mountain Range Stretches Across 6 Different Countries

• Six different countries namely India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

6. It’s Home To Most Number Of Highest Peaks In The World

• There are 25 peaks in the Himalayas that exceed 8,000 meters. Also, it is one of the few places on Earth where the snow never melts.

7. The Rivers Originating From The Himalayas Are Older Than The Peaks

• The rivers flowing from the Himalayas are older than the Himalayan peaks. The Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra and Yarlung rivers originate from the Himalayas to form the three major rivers in the Asian continent.