NEPAL Nr Kathmandu -- 16 Apr 2005 -- Aerial photo of terraced farmland near Kathmandu

NEPAL Nr Kathmandu -- 16 Apr 2005 -- Aerial photo of terraced farmland near Kathmandu. Scientists have warned that rising temperatures from global warming may cause the demise of the Himalayan ice falls and glaciers. The effects of this are likely to affect many Asian nations, as these glaciers - and those in neighbouring Tibet - feed most of the large river systems from the Indus in Pakistan to the Yellow in China. Widespread flooding has already began and is expected to continue. In the 2004 Monsoon, some 30 million people in Nepal, India and Bangladesh were affected by serious flooding. Scientists add that after the glaciers have melted, their departure will lead to widespread drought across many areas of Asia. This could have serious implications for agriculture across the region