📌 LESSONS FROM HIMALAYAN FLOODS!

 📌 LESSONS FROM HIMALAYAN FLOODS!

The October 29, 2026 GLOF outbreak and the subsequent flooding in Bhutan follows close on the heels of the glacial melt flooding in Nepal in August of the same year. These events underline yet again the brutal ways in which the Himalaya are being ravaged by climate change. A post facto study has confirmed that it was the thawing of permafrost and the subsequent weakening of glaciers due to climate change that contributed to the disastrous flash floods in Nepal. 

It is clear that we need to monitor the status of warming and thawing as well as rate of ice melt even more carefully than before. Rapid early warning systems will be crucial to saving lives and property in future because ice melt can no longer be reversed. 

We must take on board the fact that every Glacial Lake burst may not give us adequate warning. And… the melting of the permafrost is not easy to detect and monitor so early warning becomes difficult. Hence round-the-clock vigilance seems to be the new normal in the current times. 

The quick response of the Bhutanese authorities is truly commendable. They were quick to warn India about flood risks from the GLOF from Sintaphu Lake which triggered voluminous water discharge downstream towards West Bengal and Assam. The recent events in Nepal and now Bhutan underscore the increasing risks posed by high-mountain hazards across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). Most importantly, these incidents highlight the urgent need for preparedness, timely warnings and transboundary coordination.