Nepal will launch a $50 million project to drain four high-risk Himalayan glacial lakes, aiming to reduce the threat of catastrophic floods following recent deadly disasters.
The initiative will focus on the Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho, and Hongu II lakes, situated at altitudes between 4,050 and 5,483 meters.
Funded by the Green Climate Fund, the UNDP, and the Nepalese government, the project plans to use gated structures to control water release and ease pressure on natural dams. Detailed engineering studies and design work will begin in the current fiscal year (ending mid-July 2027), with full implementation expected to take up to six years. The initiative will also install monitoring sensors, flood forecasting tools, and early-warning systems to protect downstream communities.
The project follows a devastating glacier collapse in August that triggered landslides and flash floods, leaving more than 1,400 people dead and thousands missing. Rising global temperatures and rapidly retreating glaciers are increasing the frequency of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), posing a severe threat to settlements, infrastructure, and livelihoods across the Himalayan region.
