Low snow is threatening water security for people living in the Himalayas

Snow and ice on the Himalayas are a crucial water source for around 240 million people in the mountainous regions. — AFP

MILLIONS of people dependent on Himalayan snowmelt for water face a “very serious” risk of shortages this year after one of the lowest rates of snowfall, scientists warned last month.

Snowmelt is the source of about a quarter of the total water flow of 12 major river basins that originate high in the region, the report said.