The Himalayas are at risk of several more glacial lake outbursts in the future because of global warming. Experts from the United Nations and China have warned that the region could be slammed by glacial floods similar to what swept through Nepal and Tibet on August 26. Kanni Wignaraja, an assistant secretary-general at the United Nations, said, citing updated data on glacial lakes in the region, that millions are at risk from these events.
Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Water Resources warned on Monday that the glaciers surrounding the Cuojian River in Nepal, where the glacier collapse occurred last week, have become unstable and could cause more flooding.
What is a glacial lake?
Glacial lakes are formed when a glacier melts and the water either gets filled inside, under or around the glacier. Natural barriers, such as the glacier wall and loose debris and mud, prevent the water from flowing out. The water continues to accumulate, and when the pressure builds to an extreme level, the barriers break, sending the water gushing out at great speed.
Tragedy unfolded in Nepal and Tibet when a glacier near the Langtang Lirung mountain peak collapsed and fell to the valley floor. A landslide was triggered, and the flood washed down the Trishuli River. More than 1,000 deaths have been reported, over 4,000 remain missing, and more than 900 hydropower workers are trapped in a tunnel.
Glacial floods could become common
Experts have warned that we are now seeing the effects of climate change unfold in real time. Glaciers in the Himalayas have become unstable, are melting and could trigger devastating flooding in the future. Scientists say the Himalayas are warming faster than other areas, putting Nepal, China and India at major risk.
Chinese experts have cautioned that millions of tons of ice in glaciers in the affected valley have become unstable and can collapse. The water in the impact crater on Nepal’s Cuojian River has gone down significantly, shrinking to about 83,000 square metres from 108,000 square metres on Sunday morning, Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery showed. However, more landslides could create another blockade, threatening the formation of another barrier lake, the Chinese ministry said.
Glacial lakes in Himalayas
In 2020, researchers identified 47 glacial lakes in Nepal, China and India. Latest data shows that the number of these lakes has increased, and as they burst, similar devastation could unfold again. The Nepal flash floods are a clear sign that the effects of climate change are already being felt by humans. A continuously warming world could mean the beginning of the end for all of humanity.(WION )
