Close to bursting

We must prioritise monitoring of glacial lakes and set up early warning systems.

With no monitoring and early warning systems, the threat of a glacial lake outburst flood looms large at Makalu Barun National Park in Sankhuwasabha district. Lower Barun, at around 4,550 metres above sea level and approximately 2.7 km long and 600 metres wide, could cause a huge loss of lives and property if it bursts. Settlements downstream on the banks of the Arun River in Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur, Dhankuta and Sunsari districts would be inundated, according to scientists who’ve identified 20 more glacial lakes at risk of an outburst. Of these 21 glacial lakes in Nepal that can unleash catastrophic damage, only two early warning systems have been installed so far at Tsho-Rolpa and Imja.