Glacial Lake Outburst Floods Increasing Risks in the Himalayas

Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) occur when water stored in a glacier-fed lake formed at the side, front, within, beneath, or on the surface of a glacier is suddenly released. In this article, Mohammad Imroz says that the retreat of mountain glaciers due to climate change is a visible indicator of global climate change. The risk of glacial-related hazards, including GLOFs, increases as glaciers melt in high mountainous regions. Climate change is a cause of concern in this aspect due to the potential increase in GLOFS. Keep reading to know more...

-  Mohammad Imroz

Climate change, also known as climate transformation, refers to changes in the planet’s typical climate in terms of temperature, precipitation, and wind that are primarily caused by human activity. The global climate has always fluctuated. It is changing, however, much faster than in the past, and this time it is due to human activity. The use of fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil for transportation, energy production, and industry contributes significantly to climate change. Climate change is not a new phenomenon, but little appears to have been done to address it on a global scale. The Himalayan region is grappling with serious consequences of climate change, which are posing a threat to water, food, and energy security. Despite efforts to limit global warming, alarming projections of significant glacier loss by 2100 suggest that water scarcity, food shortages, increased disasters, biodiversity decline, pandemics, and poverty will result. Meeting the 1.5°C target appears unlikely, given the region’s current warming rate of 0.2°C per decade, which is expected to exceed the global average by 0.3–0.7°C in the future.

Climate change has far-reaching repercussions for natural systems and particular regions, including the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region. Mountains around the world are particularly vulnerable to the effects of rapid climate change. Because of global warming, the region’s sensitive glaciers are melting at a faster rate, resulting in rising sea levels, altered river flows, and threats to downstream water resources and ecosystems. Furthermore, the region is vulnerable to natural hazards such as landslides, avalanches, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). These occurrences pose significant risks to human settlements, infrastructure, and regional ecosystems.