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https://theconversation.com/tsunami-of-dirt-what-caused-nepals-deadly-glacial-flood-290615>
"More than 150 people are dead and hundreds more missing after an enormous wave
of water, ice, mud and rock cascaded more than 170 kilometres down the Bhote
Koshi River valley in Nepal. The valley is the main link between Kathmandu in
Nepal and Lhasa in Tibet. At least 34 Australians are missing. There was little
warning.
Footage of the debris-laden flash flood is shocking. It is, unfortunately, not
surprising.
As an expert in glaciers, I have tracked their accelerating retreat around the
world as they melt – and the disasters that can follow. Early analysis suggests
the abrupt collapse of a glacier triggered the disaster.
As climate change intensifies, glaciers worldwide are melting – even in high
regions such as the Himalayas. The Himalayas are especially vulnerable, because
the steep slopes of many of these very tall mountains are made of permafrost –
rock and soil frozen for centuries. As temperatures rise, these slopes are
beginning to melt or destabilise. If an earthquake or slope failure occurs, it
can trigger a sudden and devastating debris flow.
It’s too early to say this was the exact cause. But we know that the great ice
stores of the Himalayas – known as the world’s “third pole” because it contains
the largest amount of snow and ice after the Arctic and Antarctic – are no
longer safe."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
