With a deadly flood in Nepal suspected to have been triggered by a glacier collapse, India is stepping up monitoring of the Himalayan region bordering China and Nepal.
Citing the U.S. Geological Survey, AFP reported that the disaster on the Tibet-Nepal border—which occurred on Wednesday (August 26)—was caused by a glacier collapse that triggered mudslides, leaving nearly 3,000 people missing and 633 confirmed dead.
While the exact cause of the glacier collapse remains unclear, climate change is driving global glacial melting, thereby increasing the risk of such disasters.
Madan Kaushik, the disaster management minister of the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, said on Saturday (August 29): “As we share a border with Nepal and have similar geographical features… we have directed relevant departments to monitor all glaciers and known glacial lakes in the region.”
He added: “We have instructed teams to remain vigilant and closely monitor the state for any similar occurrences.”
Government data indicates that Uttarakhand is one of India’s most ecologically fragile regions, home to 1,266 glacial lakes.
Scientists warn that climate change is causing Himalayan glaciers—which provide a vital water source for nearly 2 billion people—to melt at an unprecedented rate, exposing local communities to the risk of unpredictable and costly disasters.
Glacial and permafrost melting can also destabilize mountain slopes, increasing the risk of landslides.