Kathmandu, Aug. 27 -- Eight political parties have urged the government to open talks with China on establishing a joint scientific and technical mechanism to assess and reduce the risks posed by glacial lakes along the border following the Bhotekoshi floods.

At an all-party meeting convened by Rastriya Swatantra Party chair Rabi Lamichhane on Thursday, the parties also agreed to establish a parliamentary mechanism to oversee reconstruction and address longer-term disaster risks.

The parties said similar flooding could occur again and called for closer monitoring of glacial lakes in China's Tibet region. They said climate change is increasing the risk of glacial lakes in Nepal's mountain regions and Tibet bursting or overflowing.

They ...