Articles | Volume 18, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-5143-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-5143-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Data description article
| 
21 Jul 2026
Data description article |
| 21 Jul 2026
| 21 Jul 2026
Glacial Lake Observatory (GLO): annual dataset of glacial lakes in Nepal and transboundary catchments (2017–2024)
Lauren D. Rawlins
School of Geography and water@leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
School of Geography and water@leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Rakesh Bhambri
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Nitesh Khadka
State Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Engineering Resilience, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
Mohan B. Chand
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Himalayan Cryosphere, Climate and Disaster Research Centre (HiCCRDC), School of Science, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal
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On 16 August 2024, a cascading glacial lake outburst flood destroyed Thame Village, Nepal. An upstream glacial lake formed in the late 2000s overtopped due to intense glacier melt, triggering a downstream lake breach. Combined release of ~600,000 m³ with peak discharge >800 m³/s reached the village in 22–32 min. Losses exceeded 6.18 million USD. Small, rapidly evolving lakes pose often overlooked GLOF risks in a warming climate.
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Short summary
Glacial lakes are expanding as glaciers melt in High Mountain Asia. These lakes store meltwater but can trigger dangerous outburst floods (GLOFs), threatening downstream communities. Using satellite imagery and deep learning, we mapped lakes across the Nepal-transboundary region (2017–2024) and found rapid growth, especially in the Koshi basin. This research supports the Glacial Lake Observatory, which will enable long-term monitoring and hazard reduction.
Glacial lakes are expanding as glaciers melt in High Mountain Asia. These lakes store...
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