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Glacier, landslide trigger Nepal's devastating flash floods
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Disasters & Emergencies

Glacier, landslide trigger Nepal's devastating flash floods

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Scientists' initial investigations suggest a massive glacier collapse and landslide caused devastating flash floods on the Nepal-China border.
  • The floodwaters, a mix of water, shattered ice, and rocks, traveled 22 kilometers at an average speed of 193 km/h, making them difficult to avoid.
  • Climate change is a potential factor, as warming temperatures cause Himalayan glaciers to melt and become unstable, increasing risks for downstream populations.

A catastrophic flash flood on the Nepal-China border, triggered by a massive glacier collapse and landslide, has submerged towns and claimed numerous lives. Initial scientific investigations reveal the immense power of the disaster, with satellite imagery showing a significant portion of a glacier breaking off from a high mountain before plunging into a river.

The force of the collapse caused the ice to melt as it moved, carrying with it sediment filled with water.

— Daniel ShugarA geologist from the University of Calgary explaining the phenomenon of the floodwaters.

Scientists estimate the glacial block fell from an altitude of approximately 2,134 meters, with the collapsed section measuring about 610 meters wide. They believe a simultaneous landslide generated a torrent of rocks and ice that surged down the mountain slope into the Lhende Khola River, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi River. This powerful flow, described as a mixture of water, shattered ice, and rocks, traveled the first 22 kilometers at an average speed of 193 kilometers per hour.

The flood wave, consisting of water, shattered ice, and rocks, traveled the first 22 kilometers at an average speed of 193 kilometers per hour.

— Jeffrey KargelA Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute describing the speed and composition of the flood wave.

This incredible speed meant the flood wave covered nearly 22 kilometers in just under seven minutes, leaving little chance for downstream residents to escape. Geologists note that the force of the collapse caused the ice to melt during its descent, carrying water-laden sediment. This phenomenon likely explains the extraordinary volume of water that swept through the narrow mountain valley, destroying everything in its path.

Flash floods in high mountain areas like Nepal and Tibet are not necessarily caused by heavy rainfall.

— Liz StephensA professor of meteorology at the University of Reading commenting on the causes of such disasters.

While heavy rainfall is not always the cause of flash floods in high mountain areas like Nepal and Tibet, scientists point to a complex chain of events, including landslides and avalanches, as potential triggers. This complexity makes early warnings difficult. Furthermore, climate change is being considered as a contributing factor, with rising temperatures causing glaciers in the Himalayan region to melt and become increasingly unstable. Recent studies show that ice loss from glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region has doubled since 2000, heightening the risk for nearly two million people living downstream.

Global warming shrinks glaciers, making them more likely to break.

— Wouter BuytaertA professor of hydrology at Imperial College London linking climate change to glacier instability.
About this summary

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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