Himalayan region warming at alarming rate of 0.28°C per decade, warns study

A new study on a 2024 glacial lake outburst flood in the Everest region has warned that the Himalayas are warming at an average of 0.28 degrees Celsius per decade and experiencing an unprecedented loss of glacier mass.

Published on Tuesday, the study noted that glacier mass loss had increased by 65 per cent in recent decades compared to earlier period. “The rapid retreat of glaciers has led to the formation of over 25,000 lakes across the region, spanning Amu Darya, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra and Irrawaddy basins,” the study stated.

The study was conducted by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) to look into the causes and impact of the August 2024 glacial lake outburst in Nepal, which devastated the iconic high-altitude trekking village of Thame. A rock avalanche struck two glacial lakes releasing 4.59 lakh cubic metres of water, equivalent to 185 Olympic-size swimming pools, and destroying Thame village. The flashflood displaced 135 people, destroyed 25 homes and carried debris 80 km downstream.

Glacial lake outbursts are among the most destructive and prominent hazards in high-mountain regions. The study underscored the vulnerability of the region to such outbursts and highlighted the urgent need for proactive risk management and mitigation measures.

Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa, ICIMOD cryosphere analyst, said the Thame flood was both a stark reminder and a moment of reflection, showing how mountain communities were already bearing the brunt of climate disasters.

Nepal has seen over 90 glacial lake outbursts since early-1920s and the Everest region has withstood five significant events in less than 50 years.

Sudan Bikash Maharjan, ICIMOD remote sensing analyst and one of the authors of the study, said, “The Hindu Kush Himalayas has more than 25,000 glacial lakes and Thame shows us that we need to put in much more efforts in understanding and preventing the risks posed by even the relatively smaller lakes.”

Maharjan said in the Thame case, additional geological and morphological characteristics of a landscape intensified the impact of the climate-driven event to cause catastrophic damages, though with no loss of life.