Fresh glacial lakes form at source of Nepal’s ice-rock avalanche - The Hindu

**Fresh Glacial Lakes Emerge at the Source of Nepal’s Recent Ice‑Rock Avalanche**

*Kathmandu, 28 August 2026* – Satellite imagery and on‑ground surveys released by Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) reveal the rapid formation of two new glacial lakes at the headwall of the Imja‑Lhotse glacier system, the very source of the ice‑rock avalanche that devastated villages in the Langtang Valley in June 2024. The lakes, each covering roughly 0.7 km², have appeared where a massive slab of ice and rock previously detached, carving a deep depression that now fills with meltwater accelerated by unusually high summer temperatures. Scientists attribute the accelerated melting to a combination of climate‑driven glacier thinning and the removal of insulating ice that previously shielded the underlying rock from solar radiation.

The emergence of these lakes heightens the risk of a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), a scenario that could trigger another wave of flash floods downstream, compounding the humanitarian crisis already unfolding in the region. The DHM, in collaboration with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has deployed a team of glaciologists, remote‑sensing experts, and engineers to install early‑warning sensors and assess the structural stability of the natural moraine dams. Preliminary modeling suggests that a breach could release up to 12 million cubic metres of water, potentially inundating the villages of Langtang, Kyanjin, and parts of the Trishuli River basin within hours.

The new glacial lakes have emerged against the backdrop of Nepal’s worst flooding season on record. According to the BBC, the number of people reported missing in the ongoing floods has risen to nearly 2,000, while The Guardian’s field reports describe families who have lost everything to rising waters. Kathmandu’s government, under mounting pressure, has formally accepted foreign rescue assistance, with India responding to a direct request for joint operations. International aid agencies are now prioritising both immediate flood relief and longer‑term climate adaptation measures, including the construction of artificial spillways and reinforcement of vulnerable downstream infrastructure to mitigate the compounded threat posed by melting glaciers and extreme weather events.