Nepal loses Rs 2,099 million due to disaster each year

 Nepal – on an average – loses 333 lives and property worth over $17.24 million (Rs 2,099 million) each year to extreme climate events, according to a new report from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the United National Development Programme (UNDP) in Nepal.

“Since 1977, Nepal has experienced 26 glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) events of which 14 originated in the country,” it reads, adding that with the changing climate resulting in increasing rate of glacial melt, GLOF remains an ever-present threat for Nepal. 

The report from ICIMOD and UNDP in Nepal has also identified 47 potentially dangerous glacial lakes (PDGLs) within the Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali river basins of Nepal, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and India. These glacial lakes are at risk of breaching, which would result in GLOFs. “The GLOFs are a prominent water-induced hazard in Nepal and other mountainous countries in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), and occur when melting glaciers create reservoirs of water that can suddenly burst leading to floods downstream,” it reads.

The inventory of glacial lakes and identification of potentially dangerous glacial lakes, released today, lists 25 glacial lakes in China, 21 in Nepal, and one in India, which need to be closely monitored to reduce the vulnerability of mountain people and settlements downstream in the three river basins. “Of the 47 identified potentially dangerous glacial lakes, some 42 are within the Koshi basin making it the river basin with the highest risk,” the report reads, adding that the Gandaki and Karnali basins have three and two such lakes, respectively.

ICIMOD and its partners have been involved in preparing and updating databases of glacial lakes and the identification of potentially dangerous glacial lakes in the HKH since the early 2000s. The report builds on a comprehensive study undertaken by ICIMOD in 2011.

In 2016, in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNDP, Nepal successfully lowered the water levels in Imja Tsho and installed community-based early warning and response systems as a mitigative climate action.

Periodically updated and standardised glacial lake inventories like this one provide crucial information for evidence-based planning of tailored mitigation measures to address future GLOF risks. “This science based report gives an alarm about the potentially dangerous glacier lakes,” director general at the ICIMOD Dr David Molden said adding that the investments are needed to reduce the risk, and climate action is needed to limit global warming.

“Glaciers are part of global heritage, managing that is a transboundary issue and a collective responsibility so the decisions need to be made together,” UNDP Resident Representative for Nepal Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labe said, while launching the report. “We are sure that these studies can connect scientists, researchers and climate activists together and thrust for strategic decisions that reconcile the people with Nature,” she said, adding that making climate finance a reality is a global promise, but in order to access climate finance, particularly for issues like glacial lakes, one need robust scientific studies and that's why we need to invest.”

“You need data, research and analysis, experts and instructions. Countries like Nepal have to move fast to compete for less and less available climate funding,” said Medagangoda-Labe. “We hope that a study like this will give the country additional chances.”