Lakes that have been forming near Mount Everest could threaten settlements downstream if they overflow.Ponds on the surface of the Khumbu glacier in the Himalayas have expanded and joined together to form larger bodies of water.

Climbers need to cross the glacier, including the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, to climb the mighty peak.The accelerated meltdown of glaciers in the region is causing concern against a backdrop of rising global temperatures.

Scientists say the warning is the first of its kind for Khumbu, although other glaciers in the Himalayas have seen an increase in the number of lakes formed.Such newly formed glacial lakes can overflow causing flooding, and with it loss of life and damage downstream.