Glacial lakes in the Himalayas are high-altitude bodies of water formed by melting glaciers, held back by unstable walls of rock and debris known as moraines. Many are prone to a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)—a sudden, catastrophic release of water or floods triggered by avalanches, heavy rain, or seismic activity. Natural dams, formed by loose rock, soil, and ice ridges called moraines in these water bodies, are vulnerable to failure. Small earthquakes, rockfalls, or ice avalanches can break these weak structures, sending a massive surge of water and debris into valleys, often with little warning for downstream towns. Kupup Lake, also known as Elephant Lake or Bitan Cho, is a high-altitude glacial lake in East Sikkim sitting at an elevation of 13,066 feet. The high-altitude glacial lake is part of the Old Silk Route loop near the India-China border. Hotels and residential houses have been built by encroaching upon the dried-up section of the lake formed by glacial meltwater in Kupup Valley, Sikkim, India, on April 17, 2026.
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