Study warns of glacial outburst risks from hydropower projects in Himalayas

An international study has cautioned that the growing number of hydroelectric projects near glacier lakes in the Himalayas increases risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF). The 2023 flood that destroyed Sikkim’s Teesta III project underscores the vulnerability of Himalayan hydropower infrastructure to extreme natural events exacerbated by climate change.

​An international study has cautioned that the growing number of hydroelectric projects near glacier lakes in the Himalayas increases risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF). The 2023 flood that destroyed Sikkim’s Teesta III project underscores the vulnerability of Himalayan hydropower infrastructure to extreme natural events exacerbated by climate change.