Watch: Glacier Lakes in the Himalayas Are Ticking Time Bombs

Climate change is creating new glacier lakes, and these lakes threaten to flood at any moment and wreak havoc.

(Photo Courtesy: The Third Pole/Nabin Baral)

In the higher reaches of the Himalayas, melting glaciers are creating new lakes in their wake. Around 8,000 such lakes have formed in India and Nepal. Two hundred are potentially dangerous.

These ‘glacier lakes’ are nestled on what used to be a glacier, held back by debris and soil. Often, glacier lakes are ticking time bombs – as the glacier continues to melt, the water pushes against its natural barrier until the wall can no longer hold it back. The sudden bursting of the lake can have devastating effects on communities living below.

To prevent these disasters, governments can try to gently drain these lakes. In a photo series done for The Third Pole, Nabin Baral documented how the draining of the Imja Lake impacted communities in Nepal. Take a look.

Also Read: In Pics: How Draining the Imja Lake Is Saving Hundreds in Nepal
Himalayas Are Losing 5-20 Metres of Vital Glaciers Per Year