A massive disaster struck the foothills of the Himalayan regions and nearby areas in Nepal and Tibet. As per reports around 469 lives have been claimed by a rare flash glacier flood, while more than 1,400 people remain missing. As days go by, rescuers are venturing deeper into the mud- and debris-filled regions, and the casualty numbers are only expected to rise. So, what exactly happened in the region, and what is a glacial collapse that the world is pinning the blame on?
There was no rain, no high magnitude earthquake that could’ve triggered the massive roaring flood rush to the inhabited regions of Nepal and Tibet. On August 26, as life went on as usual a sudden burst of roaring sound surged through the air and with any warning a huge wave of flood came through.
Claiming the nearby buildings and bridges, the water rushed mercilessly through the landscape. Reports suggest that there might have been a minor earthquake of 4.4 magnitude in the mountains which has caused the glaciers to collapse.
A glacial collapse refers to the sudden detachment of a large section of glacier ice from its base, sometimes releasing millions of cubic metres of ice, rock and water. The material can rapidly develop into a highly mobile, ice-laden avalanche or debris flow. Although “glacial collapse” is not a formally defined scientific term in glaciology, it is commonly used to describe such events.
A glacial collapse is one of the most rare and highly unusual events with only a handful of incidents taking place over the decade. One of the most targeted sites is Tibet which is recorded as the most prone area in the world for this kind of disaster. In July 2016, the lower part of a valley glacier in Tibet’s Aru Range, in far western Tibet near the Pangong Tso region, detached and sent about 68 million cubic metres of ice crashing down the mountain, killing nine herders and hundreds of animals.
Two months later, a nearby glacier collapsed, releasing another 83 million cubic metres of ice. Some of the similar incidents followed in the following years across India, Tibet and Switzerland. However, NASA described the event as a rare occurrence.
The glacial collapse happened near Langtang Lirung, close to the Nepal–Tibet border. Satellite imagery suggests that a substantial part of the glacier fell roughly 1.2 km vertically into the valley below. Initial reports have suggested that an earthquake had triggered the flood, but a more recent seismic signal has revealed that the earthquake was caused due to the glacial collapse and not the other way round. The most believed-upon theory by scientists says that it is caused due to global warming.
One report suggests that glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya mountain range, which spans across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan, lost ice 65% faster between 2011 and 2020 than they did during the previous decade. Nepal’s glaciers, located between two of the world’s major carbon emitters, India and China, have lost nearly one-third of their ice volume in roughly three decades due to global warming, according to the United Nations in 2023.
These kinds of incidents are often unpredictable, making it difficult to take precautions beforehand. However, following a few basic safety rules can save lives. Move uphill immediately, don’t stop to film the rushing water, never attempt to cross a flooded road or bridge, and run as fast as you can to reach higher ground.
Remember, the first surge is often followed by several more waves, so the danger may not be over even after the initial rush of water. And if you are stuck in debris, try to keep your head up and stop fighting the muddy water as it will only take you down deeper.
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