There's an interesting piece in today's Guardian Life section covering a
scientific expedition to the glacier of the Rwenzori mountains in
Uganda.
The 'Mountains of the Moon', as they're known, are notorious for
their high rainfall and excessive muddiness, and have been effectively
closed by civil unrest for the past ten years, precluding any study of
the state of the glaciers.
Sadly the news isn't good. One major glacier has been retreating
at a rate of 31 metres per year, and digging into the snowfields high
enough suggests that not enough snow is falling to replenish the
glaciers.
The results, say scientists, could be catastrophic for the
300,000-odd local people with a combination of flash floods and water
shortages. Sad but interesting. Complete article here.
