What was first thought to be an earthquake may have been something far more alarming: a glacier collapsing high in the Himalayas and sending a powerful rush of water and debris downstream. Scientists say the event shows how dangerous rapidly changing mountain ice can become.
At least 177 people have been killed by the devastating flash flood along the Nepal-Tibet border, after early reports pointed to an earthquake as the possible cause.
Preliminary investigations now point to a massive glacial collapse as the true cause of the devastating flash flood on the Nepal-Tibet border.
The US Geological Survey quickly corrected early assumptions of a seismic tremor. Instead, they identified a “glacial collapse” a sudden, violent disintegration of ancient ice.
According to Dr. Simon Cook, a glacier expert at the University of Dundee, the lower section of a glacier near the Langtang Lirung peak simply broke apart.
What followed was a terrifying chain reaction. An analysis by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development found that an ice-rock avalanche plunged into the Lende Khola river. The impact was immediate. Within just 30 minutes, downstream water levels surged between seven and nine metres, sweeping away entire monitoring stations and everything in their path.
Oxford University earth sciences professor Mike Searle noted that this kind of destruction does not happen in a single second.
“The sheer wave of debris suggests there could have been a landslide first; the water built up, dammed the river, and then it burst in one huge great flood,” Searle explained.
The exact trigger for Wednesday’s collapse remains unclear. But the underlying pressure is no longer a mystery.
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The Himalayas are rising due to tectonic movement, but they are also warming. Centuries-old permafrost, which acts like glue holding these steep slopes together, is thawing and degrading.
Recent data shows that Hindu Kush Himalaya glaciers are now losing ice at double the rate they were in the year 2000.
“When you look at the pattern of these events, you do think climate change could have an impact,” Dr. Cook said. “Climate warming ultimately destabilises these high mountain environments.”
The floodwaters have receded for now. But the mountains are still warming, and the ice is still thinning. The next collapse is no longer a matter of if, but when.
Promise Idoko is a tech analyst and writer at Moderncrux, specializing in artificial intelligence, fintech, and emerging technologies. Based in Nigeria, he is dedicated to delivering insightful and accessible coverage of complex technological developments. His work explores the impact of innovation on businesses, industries, and societies, with a particular focus on Africa’s evolving technology landscape and its connection to global trends.
