Nepal floods: Avalanche raced down Himalayas at 167 kmph, triggering deadly deluge
A scientific study has determined that Nepal's August 26 floods were caused by a high-speed ice-rock avalanche rather than a glacial lake outburst. The debris-laden mass traveled at speeds up to 167 kmph, causing significant geographical changes.
Why it matters
Understanding the specific mechanics of this disaster is crucial for improving early warning systems and climate risk assessment in the Himalayas.
The ice-rock avalanche that triggered Nepal's devastating August 26 floods moved with extraordinary speed, covering around 22 kilometres to Rasuwagadhi in just over seven minutes, according to a preliminary study by Nepalese scientists.The mass travelled at an estimated average speed of 46.3 metres per second, or about 167 kmph, as it plunged from the high Himalayas into the river system below, news agency PTI reported.The study, commissioned by the Nepal Environment Society (NES), found that the massive mass of ice, rock and debris began falling from the northern part of the Langtang–Lirung area of Rasuwa at around 8.37 am.Starting at an altitude of approximately 5,200 metres, the avalanche descended steep terrain before reaching the Lhende River at about 2,930 metres. It then surged downstream through the Bhotekoshi and into the Trishuli river system, generating a powerful debris-laden flood.The speed of the initial surge helps explain the devastation downstream.
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