The findings show a threat from Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) across the mountain region. New Delhi: An international study has identified 407 glacial lakes across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region that are at risk of bursting.
Glacier scientist Dipesh Chapagain headed the research, which examined how the risk has changed across the Hindu Kush Himalaya over the decades. Titled ‘Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Risks, Response Strategies and Adaptation Gaps in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region’, the study describes GLOFs as a major and rising threat to the HKH region. Chapagain and his colleagues study GLOF events in the Hindu Kush Himalaya through the Global Mountain Safeguard Research Programme (GLOMOS). Regular monitoring of glaciers and unstable slopes, satellite observation, weather stations and river gauges can help authorities track developing risks.
The United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) in Bonn conducted the study, which examined 493 recorded GLOF events from the oldest available records through 2024. The study recorded 199 GLOF events in China between 1835 and 2025, the highest number among the countries covered. Pakistan recorded 152 events, followed by India with 62 and Nepal with 58.
He said recent flooding near the Nepal-China border shows the difficulties faced by authorities in detecting and communicating such hazards in time. Chapagain said reducing the danger has to start high in the mountains, where the changes are taking place.
Call for Enhanced Global Cooperation on Glacier Monitoring
Recent studies highlight the urgent need for improved information sharing among countries regarding glacier changes and associated risks. Chapagain emphasizes that timely data from satellites, weather monitoring systems, and river gauges can enable authorities to detect potential flooding threats in high-altitude regions before they impact populated areas.
This call for action aligns with concerns raised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which identified Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) as a significant hazard in the Hindu Kush region in its 2022 report.
