Nepal, Oct. 1 -- The Trisuli Valley flood on 26 August has led to a renewed sense of urgency in addressing Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risk in the Himalaya. While there were geological forces at play in the Langtang Lirung slope collapse, glacial lakes similarly present a looming danger exacerbated by rising global temperatures.

On the other side of the planet, Peruvian communities have been coping with GLOFs since the 1940s. The history of glacial risk reduction in the Andes reveals lessons about what works and what does not.

The first and perhaps most important lesson from the Andes is the importance of consistent funding and public oversight when it comes to glacial risk reduction.

In 1941, a GLOF from Lake Palcacocha in Per...