As mountain glaciers shrink, they can weaken and destabilize underlying slopes, as well as loosen and dislodge blocks of rock. This increases the risk of landslides and avalanches. Now that climate change is leading more glaciers to melt, glacial lakes are forming more frequently. Plugged naturally with glacial ice or rocky debris, the lakes have a tendency to burst, releasing a powerful torrent of water on communities living below.

In Nepal, home to most of the world’s highest mountains, glaciers are retreating rapidly. Our partners set off to learn how climate change is exacerbating the hazards of alpine living for people in the Himalayas.