Archive · 8 Sep 2026
UN Warns Himalayas Face Severe Glacial Flood Risks Ahead
A glacier collapse caused devastating flash floods in Nepal.
More than 1,350 people have died.
Nearly 5,000 people are still missing, while more than 13,000 have been rescued.
The United Nations says similar floods could happen in the Himalayan region in the future.
Scientists found 47 dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal, China and India in 2020.
They now think there may be many more.
UN official Kanni Wignaraja said millions of people could be in danger.
Young mountains and movements in the Earth can also cause glaciers or lake barriers to collapse suddenly.
More than 1,350 people have died in Nepal flash floods linked to a glacier’s collapse.
Nepal’s disaster authority reported 4,994 people missing and 13,396 rescued.
Researchers identified 47 potentially dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal, China and India in 2020.
The number of potentially dangerous lakes is now estimated to be significantly higher.
UN official Kanni Wignaraja said millions of people could be at risk from future glacial floods.
- Who
- More than 1,350 people were killed, while thousands remain missing or have been rescued; UN official Kanni Wignaraja warned about future risks.
- What
- A glacier collapse triggered devastating flash floods in Nepal, while a UN official warned of severe future glacial-flood risks across the Himalayas.
- When
- The dangerous-lake research cited was conducted in 2020; the warning concerns the years ahead, following the recent floods.
- Where
- Nepal and the wider Himalayan region, including potentially dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal, China and India.
- Why
- Glacier or lake-barrier collapses can happen suddenly, and the region’s relatively young mountains are more liable to tectonic shifts that can trigger them.
- Death toll
- More than 1,350 people
- Missing
- 4,994 people
- Rescued
- 13,396 people
- Potentially dangerous lakes identified in 2020
- 47 across Nepal, China and India
- Estimated current lake count
- Significantly higher than the 2020 figure
- Population at risk
- Millions, according to Kanni Wignaraja
- Warning institution
- United Nations