Key facts
- A glacier collapse in the Himalayas caused a deadly flood, killing hundreds and leaving thousands missing.
- The event registered as a magnitude-5.2 seismic event.
- Satellite imagery suggests bedrock beneath a glacier gave way, sending ice and rock into the Lhende Khola River.
- Water levels rose dramatically in downstream rivers within half an hour.
- Climate scientists have warned of increasing hazards in mountain regions due to global warming.
A catastrophic flood, triggered by a massive glacier collapse in the Himalayas, has claimed hundreds of lives and left thousands missing in Nepal and Tibet. The event, which registered as a magnitude-5.2 seismic event, saw a huge mass of ice and rock give way, sending a destructive torrent into the Lhende Khola River and its tributaries.
Scientists are investigating the precise causes, but many point to the destabilizing effects of global warming on mountain regions. Analysis of satellite imagery suggests bedrock beneath a glacier failed, initiating the cascade. While distinct from typical glacial lake outburst floods, which have increased fivefold since 1950, the outcome was similarly devastating, with water levels rising dramatically in downstream valleys.
Researchers noted unusual heat preceding the collapse, which may have weakened the ice and rock bonds holding the glacier together. The monsoon season's saturation of the soil and swollen rivers could have also contributed. The disaster underscores warnings from climate scientists about the increasing frequency and intensity of hazards emanating from the cryosphere.