Nepal Glacier Disaster Raises Fresh Alarm Over Sikkim’s Vulnerable Glacial Lakes

The devastating glacier collapse in Nepal has renewed concerns over growing hazards in the Himalayas as rising temperatures and retreating glaciers make mountain terrain increasingly unstable. A UN-led study has identified 407 glacial lakes across the Hindu Kush Himalaya at risk of bursting, while glacial lake outburst floods have increased nearly fivefold since the 1950s. Sikkim is also on alert, with 85 glacial lakes mapped, including 17 considered highly vulnerable. Authorities have installed sensors to provide early warnings of potential disasters.