Key facts
- A flash flood in Nepal near the Tibet border may have been triggered by a glacier collapse.
- Satellite imagery indicates a significant portion of a glacier snout broke off.
- Experts suggest warm temperatures likely contributed to snowmelt before the event.
- Nearly 100 bodies have been recovered, and over 300 travelers are missing.
- The disaster occurred in the Rasuwa district, affecting hydropower projects.
- Floods and landslides are increasing in frequency and ferocity across the Hindu Kush Himalayas.
A devastating flash flood near Nepal's border with Tibet on Wednesday may have been caused by the collapse of a glacier, according to experts analyzing satellite imagery. The disaster has led to nearly 100 recovered bodies and over 300 missing travelers.
Experts, including Vikram Gupta from India's Sikkim University and Dan Shugar from the University of Calgary, reviewed satellite images from Planet Labs. Shugar noted that a substantial portion of the glacier snout broke off at approximately 5,200 meters and crashed onto the valley floor about 1,200 meters below. He also observed significant snowmelt in the 24 hours prior to the event, suggesting warm temperatures may have played a role.
Nepali officials have suggested a recent earthquake in the region could be a possible trigger, though Prakash Pokharel, a geologist with Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, stated it remains unclear if the earthquake caused the tragedy. The flood is described as an "ice-rock avalanche" that sent a powerful surge of water, sediment, and boulders through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems.
The affected area in the Rasuwa district, home to about 50,000 people, hosts several hydropower projects. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development reported that water levels in the river systems rose significantly within minutes. A 2023 United Nations report indicated that Nepal's glaciers have lost close to one-third of their ice in just over 30 years due to global warming, melting 65% faster in the last decade than the previous one.