Scientific assessments by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Government of Nepal have classified 47 glacial lakes as Potentially Dangerous Glacial Lakes (PDGLs), warning that they could trigger catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) into Nepal’s river systems.

Of these, 21 lakes are located in Nepal, while 25 are transboundary lakes in Tibet. These lakes are situated directly at the headwaters of rivers that flow southwards into Nepal, creating a potential threat to downstream communities and infrastructure.