Scientists begin Himalayan glacial lake studies in Nepal

• Source: Xinhua
• [13:23 June 24 2009]
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Scientists in Nepal have embarked on the first field study of Himalayan glacial lakes, some of which are swelling dangerously due to global warming, reported nepalnews.com.

According to the website, in May, the scientists completed the field visit of a lake in Mt. Qomolangma region and plan to conduct similar surveys of two other glacial lakes in the central and western part of Himalayas later this year.

The report quoted Arun Bhakta Shrestha, a climate change specialist with the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) as saying "We have started with Nepal, but we intend to extend studies to other Hindu Kush Himalayan countries."


The study is a part of regional assessment of the floods such lakes can cause if they burst.

A study by the United Nations Environment Program and ICIMOD conducted a decade ago, warned that 20 glacial lakes in Nepal and 24 in Bhutan were swelling so rapidly that they could burst by 2009.

There are around 3,300 glaciers in the Nepali Himalayas and nearly 2,300 of them contain glacial lakes, said the report.