Himalayas Face Severe Glacial Flood Risks in Years Ahead, U.N. Official Warns

Future glacial floods could make parts of the Himalayan riverbanks uninhabitable and threaten the hydropower systems on which many communities depend, a senior United Nations official told Reuters.

Kanni Wignaraja, a U.N. assistant secretary-general and regional director for Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations Development Programme, said the population at risk “goes into the millions.” She cited data compiled by the UNDP and partner organisations in June.

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Technology cannot move fast enough to prevent loss along these massive river systems that catch the overflow of the glacier lakes.

The warning followed a deadly flood in Nepal that began when part of a glacier near Langtang Lirung mountain collapsed. The resulting landslide sent a flood wave down the Trishuli River, pushing the death toll above 1,000.

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Goes into the millions.

Glacial lake outbursts pose a separate danger. They occur when melting water accumulates behind a natural barrier and pressure causes the barrier to break or overflow. U.N. officials say both types of threat are increasing as climate change accelerates glacier melt, loosens mountain rock and places greater pressure on lake barriers. The region’s relatively young mountains can also experience tectonic shifts that trigger sudden collapses.

Nepal depends heavily on glaciers for water and income. Wignaraja said people living along rivers may not be able to afford relocation to higher ground. UNDP said the latest flood knocked out 15 major power stations under construction, in addition to stations already operating. New technology can improve the resilience of electrical networks and hydropower facilities, Wignaraja said, but “there’s no construction that could have stopped this” mud and ice surge.

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There’s no construction that could have stopped this.