Officials Keeping a Close Eye on Nearby Glaciers After Recent Collapse
Meteorology officials in Nepal are closely monitoring two glaciers located near the site of a recent glacier collapse that led to severe flooding. According to the officials, this surveillance is important due to images indicating cracks in these glaciers.
While they stress that these cracks do not necessarily mean an immediate threat of collapse, it’s essential to keep watch, especially in light of the recent disaster. “Given what has happened with the nearby glacier, we are trying to monitor this as much as possible,” said a senior official from Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.
The monitoring efforts include analyzing drone images from China, which were captured around the area where the collapse occurred on the northern side of Mount Langtang Lirung, positioned along the border with China.
Experts from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), a group focused on Himalayan environmental challenges, noted that the two glaciers in question contribute to the same Lhende river that experienced flooding.
“Satellite images suggest that one of these glaciers may have ice masses that cling to the mountainside, requiring close inspection,” explained Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks at ICIMOD. These hanging glaciers can be particularly dangerous since they are precariously positioned on steep slopes, similar to the part of the glacier that recently collapsed.
Authorities remain vigilant, understanding the potential hazards that could arise from the changes in the region’s glaciers.
