Nepal plans to drain four glacial lakes to reduce flood risks following a glacier collapse in August that killed over 1,400 people and left more than 5,000 missing. The project, expected to cost $50 million and take up to six years to complete, aims to lower water levels through gated structures and includes installing sensors and developing a flood warning system. Authorities will begin detailed studies on the Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho, and Hongu II lakes in the fiscal year ending mid-July 2027.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Nepal plans to drain four glacial lakes perched high in the mountains to reduce flood risks after a recent disaster that killed over 1,400 people and left more than 5,000 missing. The lakes—Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho, and Hongu II—are located at heights ranging from 4,050 m to 5,483 m (13,280 ft to 18,000 ft) and are considered among the most dangerous in Nepal. Design work and detailed studies targeting these lakes will commence during the fiscal year ending mid-July 2027. The plan involves draining water through canals into nearby rivers in a regulated manner to prevent downstream flooding risks. Subash Tuladhar, an expert from a government research center, noted that workers face significant health risks due to high-altitude work and flood dangers.
Written for “Nepal Glacial Lake Drainage Plan” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
Nepal plans to drain four glacial lakes perched high in the mountains to reduce flood risks.
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Nepal → plan → risks
Rescuers are still searching for more than 5,000 people missing in the border region with China after August's glacier collapse.
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Rescuers → search → collapse
The process of draining water "through gated structures" will start after a detailed study, and could take up to six years to complete.
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process → drain → years
Nepal will kick off a high-stakes effort to drain four glacial lakes perched high in the mountains, as it scrambles to reduce flood risks, officials said, after a recent disaster that killed more than 1,400.
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that → kick → 1,400
"Our aim is to lower the risk of the lakes breaching their natural dams and reduce the risk of downstream floods," said Subash Tuladhar, an expert with a government research centre tasked with overseeing the new project.
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Tuladhar → lower → project
Canals will drain water into nearby rivers in a regulated way, he said, adding that workers faced health risks as a result of the lengthy periods of high-altitude work required, in addition to the dangers of sudden flooding.
Design work and detailed studies targeting the central and eastern lakes of Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho and Hongu II, will begin in the fiscal year that runs until mid-July 2027, authorities said.
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authorities → drain → July
The lakes, at heights ranging from 4,050m to 5,483m rank among Nepal's most potentially dangerous, the United Nations Development Programme and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said in a 2020 report.
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Programme → range → report
Nepal had the skills and experience required for the $50-million project to be funded by the Green Climate Fund, the UNDP and the government, added Mr Tuladhar, of Nepal's Centre for Hydrology and Water Resources Research.
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Tuladhar → have → Research
Draining project could take six years
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project → drain → years
The work of draining "through gated structures" will start after a detailed study, and could take up to six years to complete, said Sanjeeb Baral, the Centre's executive director.
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Baral → drain → years
It will encompass installation of sensors, a flood forecasting and warning system, and efforts to build downstream resilience and prepare communities for the risks.
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It → encompass → risks
In similar previous efforts, Nepal lowered by 3 m (10 ft) the level of the central Himalayan glacial lake of Tsho Rolpa by in 2000 and that of Imja in the vicinity of Mount Everest, the world's tallest peak, 10 years ago.
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Nepal → lower → Everest
Urgency after recent floods
Nepal's disaster served as a warning to the world, Prime Minister Balendra Shah, 36, told the United Nations in an impassioned speech last month that blamed climate change despite his country's negligible emissions.
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that → serve → emissions
Retreating glaciers, unstable mountain slopes and increasingly unpredictable rivers showed Nepal was paying a heavy price, he added.
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he → retreat → price
Nepal, which has reported about 26 glacial lake outburst flood events in the past four decades, loses more than 300 lives and property worth millions of dollars to extreme climate events annually on average.
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which → report → events
The latest floods devastated a dozen hydro-electric plants, roads, bridges, farms and settlements.
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floods → devastate → plants
Cash-strapped Nepal would need billions of dollars for early recovery, officials have said.
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officials → strap → recovery
Lowering the lakes by three metres would significantly reduce the threat, said Samjwal Ratna Bajracharya, a retired ICIMOD expert on glaciers, glacial lakes and outburst floods.
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Bajracharya → lower → glaciers
"They are growing fast, are high up in the Himalayas and could cause outbursts any time, due to earthquakes, avalanches, climatic conditions and unplanned human-induced activity," he told Reuters.
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he → grow → Reuters
Immense DNA identification task continues
With thousands still missing and recovery crews facing mounting DNA profiles to process, fragmented remains and limited technical capacity experts warn matching bodies to families could take weeks.
Just 112 bodies have been identified and returned to their families.
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bodies → continue → families
A further 5,285 people are missing in Nepal, including hundreds of foreigners.
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people → miss → foreigners
In China, the toll is 43 dead and 519 missing, according to state media -- taking the combined toll to nearly 1,500 dead and 5,800 missing.
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toll → miss → 1,500
The Aporia
