Shrinking Himalayan snow puts 2 billion at risk

Three straight years of snow loss endanger major rivers that sustain nearly a quarter of the world’s population

KATHMANDU, Nepal (MNTV) — The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, which stretches across eight countries from Afghanistan to Myanmar and serves as the source of Asia’s major rivers, recorded its lowest level of winter snow persistence in 23 years. 

The alarming drop raises serious concerns about long-term water security for nearly two billion people across South and Southeast Asia, according to a new report released Monday by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

Snow persistence — the duration snow remains on the ground between November and March — was 23.6% below normal this year, marking the third consecutive year of below-normal snowfall across the region. ICIMOD’s 2025 HKH Snow Update warns that such recurring anomalies are becoming the new normal, driven by rising carbon emissions and climate instability.

“This is not a one-off event,” said Sher Muhammad, ICIMOD’s remote sensing specialist and lead author of the report. “We are observing these deficits in continuous succession. It’s an alarming trend with cascading consequences for water availability, agriculture, energy, and ecosystems.”

The decline in seasonal snowpack is particularly dangerous because winter snowmelt is a critical water source during the dry months, feeding 12 major river systems including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Indus, Mekong, and Yangtze. These rivers support communities across India, Nepal, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and parts of Southeast Asia.

In India, the Ganges basin saw its lowest snow persistence in over two decades, at 24.1% below normal — a dramatic reversal from 2015, when snow levels were 30.2% above average. The Brahmaputra basin was similarly affected, with snow levels 27.9% below normal. Reduced snow means reduced river flow in early summer, just as demand for irrigation and drinking water peaks.

Across the region, the most severe snow deficits were recorded in the Mekong basin (-51.9%) and Salween basin (-48.3%), followed by the Tibetan Plateau (-29.1%), Yangtze (-26.3%), Brahmaputra (-27.9%), and Ganges (-24.1%).

In a stark warning, ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho said: “Carbon emissions have already locked in an irreversible course of recurrent snow anomalies in the HKH. To tackle this crisis and its implications for food, water, and energy resilience, we urgently need a paradigm shift toward science-based policies and renewed regional cooperation.”

The report calls on governments to act urgently, tailoring basin-level responses and investing in climate adaptation strategies, transboundary water governance, and emissions mitigation. Without coordinated action, the rapidly shrinking snow reserves of the Hindu Kush Himalaya could further destabilize food systems, hydroelectric generation, and livelihoods across the region.