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Summary

As a result of the shifting trend of warming temperatures, glaciers are experiencing a much faster rate of depletion and retreat. This scenario has generated many new glacial lakes and caused the growth of the existing ones in the glacial terrains throughout the globe. These glacial lakes are one of the major threats to mountain communities as they are unstable and frequently burst, resulting in outburst floods.

The recommendations as a way forward include a need for a systematic approach for monitoring the varying glacial responses along the entire stretch of the Himalayas, cooperation and data sharing amongst the nations in this belt, a combination of satellite imagery with data obtained from weather stations, training programs, and awareness to enhance coping capacity, and the need for establishing an effective Early Warning System to minimize the loss of life, and the infrastructural damage to the environment in the region.