Wake up call for Kashmir !

The useful part

Near the Nepal-China border, the Rasuwa district of Nepal saw an unexpected flood that affected villages downstream. According to preliminary data, the incident may have been caused by a glacier collapse or an ice-rock avalanche in the upper Lhende Khola watershed. Before entering the river system, a substantial amount of ice and rock is thought to have broken free at an elevation of 5,200 meters above mean sea level and traveled more than a kilometer downslope.

How it works

• However, the catastrophe has once again brought attention to the broader dangers of a rapidly shifting Himalayan cryosphere.
• The precise cause of the incident is still being investigated by scientists.
• One option being investigated is whether the river was temporarily obstructed by the debris and then suddenly released water.
• Therefore, characterizing the Nepal occurrence as merely a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), would be untimely.
• Valley lies within a mountain system where glaciers, snow and glacial lakes form an important part of the regional landscape and water system.

What to take from it

Over time, warming temperatures and changes in precipitation regimes can alter these features. Glacial lakes can originate or grow as a result of water collecting in ice-left depressions as glaciers retreat. When a natural lake dam becomes unstable or when a considerable amount of water escapes due to an unexpected ev...

Details worth keeping

The event's exact chronology is crucial to understanding it, but the overall lesson is already evident: a danger that starts in an inaccessible area of the Himalaya can swiftly develop into a major threat to people and infrastructure downstream. The majority of these lakes could stay steady.