A new study modeling worst-case glacial lake outburst floods in a transboundary Himalayan basin reveals that catastrophic events could generate flood discharges 15 times larger than previously expected, leaving downstream communities with warning times of just five to 30 minutes. Because current mitigation efforts are insufficient to protect vulnerable infrastructure, researchers urge a comprehensive disaster management strategy that integrates early warning systems, strict land-use zoning, and improved local response capacities.