Nepal glacier saw exceptional heat before collapse caused deadly floods: researcher
Researchers have linked unprecedented heat levels in the Himalayas to the collapse of a mountain glacier that caused deadly floods in Nepal and China. Data suggests that climate change significantly increased the probability of the extreme temperature conditions that likely destabilized the permafrost.
Why it matters
Understanding the link between climate change and geological instability is critical for disaster prevention and infrastructure planning in mountainous regions.
PARIS: The mountain section whose collapse triggered fatal floods in Nepal and China on Aug 26 had experienced unprecedented heat for the time of year, meteorological data analysed by a researcher shows.
Average temperatures on the mountain glacier at an altitude of 5,200 metres (17,060 feet) were estimated at around five degrees Celsius between August 21 and 26.
They had not exceeded 4.0C over the same period in more than 55 years of data recording, although no direct link to the collapse has so far been established.
This series of highly localised temperatures was reconstructed by Robert Rohde, chief scientist at the independent Berkeley Earth organisation in California.
At the site of the collapse, the average temperature recorded over that six-day period has risen by about 1.8C since the mid-20th century.
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