Glacial lakes in Nepal a looming threat as Himalayas feel the heat
Warning systems and mitigation measures put in place two decades ago at Tsho Rolpa, one of 21 ‘critically dangerous’ lakes, are no longer adequate.
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Kinjum Sherpa is intimately connected to the high Himalayan landscape in north-east Nepal that she calls home. While she looks after a herd of yaks, her adult children work as climbing guides on peaks including Mount Everest. Despite this, Kinjum does not seem to know of the looming disaster facing Naa, the village she lives in.
Just four kilometres – or a two-hour walk – upstream of Naa is the rapidly expanding Tsho Rolpa glacial lake. Situated 4,545 metres above sea level, it is one of 21 such lakes in Nepal classified as critically dangerous: a glacial lake outburst flood, or GLOF, here would have a catastrophic impact on downstream human settlements like Naa and Beding, where people move to during harsh winter months, and on vital infrastructure.
What is a GLOF?
???? A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) is a sudden release of water from a lake formed by meltwater from a mountain glacier, which is held back by ice or a moraine (rocks and sediment carried along by the glacier).
⚠️ These floods can be prompted by an earthquake, avalanche or the accumulation of too much meltwater. GLOFs are often extremely destructive, and are a growing threat in the Himalayan watershed.
When asked about the risk, the 72-year-old Sherpa says: “I...
