This report provides comprehensive information about the glacial lakes of five major river basins of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) — Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Irrawaddy, including Mansarovar Interior Basin — representing the year 2005, which helps to fill the data gap of glacial lakes information in the region.

Although reliable figures are often missing, considerable detrimental changes due to shrinking glaciers are universally expected for water availability in river systems under the influence of ongoing global climate change. We estimate the contribution potential of seasonally delayed glacier melt water to total water availability in large river systems.

The devastating cyclone Nargis struck the southern part of Myanmar early in May 2008. The delta area of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River was devastated. Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar, was also struck. There is an area in the Ayeyarwady delta where the aim is to conserve the mangrove ecosystem. This is the Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary.

Geological map pinpoints fresh areas of contamination in Asia.

Burma's military rulers have appealed for international help to get the county's cyclone-hit Irrawaddy delta rice farmers back to their paddy fields, amid concerns about food shortages if they miss the planting season. The request came as Burma's state television yesterday said a military-sponsored constitution had won the support of 92.4 per cent of voters in a partial referendum on Saturday. A vote in cyclone-hit areas and Rangoon has been delayed until May 24.