Kathmandu, 25 October (H.S.): The Nepalese government is advancing plans to lower water levels in four glacial lakes and expand early warning systems across six river basins as part of efforts to reduce flood risks. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology and the Hydrology and Water Resources Research Centre, operating under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, released separate white papers on Sunday outlining measures to strengthen the country’s preparedness for climate-related disasters.

The white papers detail programmes aimed at reducing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods, improving weather forecasting and ensuring that timely warnings reach communities in vulnerable areas. The proposed measures include increasing the number of monitoring instruments and deploying modern technologies to enhance forecasting capabilities.

However, the documents identify several challenges that could affect implementation, including the need for sustained budgetary allocations, adequately skilled personnel and regular maintenance of equipment.

Under the proposed GLOF Sanjeevani project, the government plans to lower water levels in four glacial lakes: Thulagi in Manang district, Lower Barun in Sankhuwasabha district, and Lumding Tsho and Hongu-2 in Solukhumbu district.

Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) occur when water held in glacial lakes is suddenly released, potentially triggering destructive floods downstream. Such events can cause extensive damage to communities in low-lying areas, critical infrastructure and hydropower projects.

The proposed interventions are intended to reduce these risks and strengthen Nepal’s capacity to anticipate and respond to potential glacial lake-related disasters.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar