ByMitraTaj

CARHUAZ,Peru,Dec11-HighinthePeruvianAndes,theglacier-fedlakeLaguna513brimswithmeltwateratopapopulatedvalleyinaregionpronetoearthquakes.

ScientistswarnthatifagiantchunkoficefromtheHualcanglacierbreaksoffitcouldtriggeratsunami-likewaveinLaguna513andsendalethaltorrentofwatercascadingdownthevalley.

IthashappenedbeforeintheAndeannation.In1970,a7.9magnitudeearthquakeshookiceblocksintohighlandlakesandunleashedanavalanchethatburiedthetownofYungayandkilledmorethan20,000people.

Peruhasmoretropicalglaciersthananyothernationbutrisingtemperatureslinkedtoglobalwarminghavehelpedshrinktheicemassesbyupto40percent,fillingexistinglakestothebrimandspawninghundredsofnewones.Astheglaciersretreat,theicecontortsandfissuresandlumpsfalloff.

"Peopledon'tthinktheselakesaredangerousandtheyarenottakingprecautions,"glacierexpertChristianHuggelsaid,asavalanchesthunderedhighuponHualcanandshardsofglaciercollapsedintothelake.

InthePeruviancapital,Lima,nearly200governmentsaremeetingthisweektothrashoutaroughdraftofadealtocutcarbonemissionsinabidtowardoffmorewarming.ThedealisduetobeagreedinParisinlate2015.

Worldgreenhousegasemissionsarerisingfastanditmaybeyearsbeforetheystartfalling,promptingglaciologiststourgePerutoactfasttoprotecttownsandvillagesindanger.

InafirstforPeru,fourundergroundsensorsaroundtheperimeterofLaguna513havebeeninstalledtodetectmovementswhilecamerassnapshotsofthelake'ssurface.

Ifalargeiceblockdisturbsthelakesurface,alarmswailingovernmentofficesinCarhuaz,atownof13,000inthevalleybelowLaguna513.Localschoolsconductevacuationdrillsalongpre-plannedroutestohigherground.

VULNERABLE

GlaciologistCesarPortocarrerosaidPeruhasbeenslowtoreinforcedams,buildlevies,installsirensandprepareescaperoutesinhighriskzones.

Laguna513isthecountry'sonlylakewithanadequatefloodwarningsystemoutof15flaggedasdangerous,saidAlejoCochachin,aglaciologistwithPeru'sstatewaterauthority.

LakePalcacochabulgesabovethecityofHuaraz,thecapitaloftheAncashregionwithapopulationof150,000.

Arimofsedimentisallthatholdsinits17millioncubicmetersofwater-enoughtofill6,800Olympicswimmingpoolsandathirdmorethanitcontained40yearsago.

Planstodrainthelaketosaferlevels,reinforceitswallsandinstallsensorshavefacedyearsofdelay.

"IenvyCarhuaz,"saidHuarazcivildefenseofficialJohnnySalazar.

Salazarsaidhisrequesttotheregionalauthoritiesfor3millionsolestofinanceafloodwarningsystemsimilartoLaguna513'swasrejectedbecauseofalackoffunds.

Ancash,hometoPeru'sbiggestcoppermineAntamina,receivesabout1billionsolesannuallyinminingrevenues.

"Withallthosemillionsandwecannotput3millionintosavinglives.It'sabsurd!"Salazarsaid.