Earth Science News
ICE WORLD
Deadly China-Nepal flood caused by glacial lake: experts
Deadly China-Nepal flood caused by glacial lake: experts
by AFP Staff Writers
Kathmandu (AFP) July 9, 2025

Flash floods that killed at least nine people in a mountainous region between China and Nepal and swept away a key bridge linking the two countries, were caused by the release of water from a glacial lake, experts said Wednesday.

About 30 people are still missing after Tuesday's floods, including 19 people in Nepal and 11 in China, according to officials and media reports.

"Our initial assessment shows that the origin of the flood was the draining of a supraglacial lake located on the north side of the Langtang mountain," geologist Sudan Bikash Maharjan of the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) told AFP.

Supraglacial lakes are formed on the surface of glaciers, often beginning as small meltwater ponds that gradually expand to form larger lakes.

The lake in question used to be a small pond, but it grew significantly in size over the past month, ICIMOD said in a statement Wednesday, citing satellite photos.

In Nepal, nine bodies have been recovered and 19 others -- 13 Nepalis and six Chinese -- are listed as missing, according to police.

China's state television CCTV reported that a "mudslide disaster" hit the border area around dawn Tuesday, with 11 people missing on the Chinese side.

-'Completely unprecedented'-

In the 2000s, glacial origin floods in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region typically occurred every five to ten years, according to ICIMOD, but they have become notably more frequent in recent years.

A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is the sudden release of water collected in former glacier beds.

These lakes are formed by the retreat of glaciers, with the warmer temperatures of human-caused climate change turbocharging the melting of the icy reservoirs.

Glacial lakes are often unstable because they are dammed by ice or loose debris.

In the last two months, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan have all seen glacial origin floods.

In addition to the border disaster on Tuesday, Nepal's Upper Mustang region was also hit by a flood.

"The acceleration of these types of events is completely unprecedented in the region. We need to delve deeper into the triggers that are resulting in cascading impacts," said Saswata Sanyal, ICIMOD Disaster Risk Reduction lead.

Experts predict that the risk of glacial lake outburst floods is expected to peak this year, as rising temperatures create more lakes.

In 2020, more than 2,000 lakes were mapped across Nepal by ICIMOD, with 21 identified as potentially dangerous for their size and other criteria.

But recent floods have been caused by smaller, lesser noticed lakes.

"These events are signals and symptoms of really rising temperatures, and are more destructive than normal floods due to the debris and steep topography," said Sharad Prashad Joshi, a cryosphere monitoring specialist at ICIMOD.

Related Links
Beyond the Ice Age

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
ICE WORLD
Glacier retreat could drive a surge in volcanic eruptions worldwide
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 08, 2025
Melting glaciers may be laying the groundwork for more explosive and frequent volcanic eruptions, according to new research presented at the Goldschmidt Conference in Prague. The study focuses on six volcanoes in the southern Chilean Andes and suggests that similar dynamics could be at play in hundreds of subglacial volcanoes worldwide, particularly in Antarctica. The research team, led by scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and supported by collaborators at Lehigh University, UCLA ... read more

ICE WORLD
Poland reintroduces border controls on Germany, Lithuania

Cold baths, climate shelters as Southern Europe heatwave intensifies

Netanyahu rejects report Israeli troops ordered to fire on Gaza aid-seekers

The mixed fortunes of development aid

ICE WORLD
Germany criticises China curbs on rare-earth exports

A New Alloy is Enabling Ultra-Stable Structures Needed for Exoplanet Discovery

Meta's AI talent war raises questions about strategy

Q-Tech expands rad-hardened oscillator line to boost new space platform designs

ICE WORLD
S.Leone islanders despair as rising ocean threatens survival

'I lost my battle': warming sea killing Albania fishing

'Every day I see land disappear': Suriname's battle to keep sea at bay

China to resume some Japanese seafood imports after Fukushima ban

ICE WORLD
Glacier retreat could drive a surge in volcanic eruptions worldwide

German navy to patrol the Arctic

Denmark develops tool to predict ice-free Arctic summers

In Norway's Arctic, meteorologists have a first-row seat to climate change

ICE WORLD
Sri Lanka court stops state land grab from Tamils

Six million donkeys slaughtered for Chinese medicine: charity

Brazil says free of bird flu, will resume poultry exports

Climate change could cut crop yields up to a quarter

ICE WORLD
Rescuers on horseback, with dogs search for Texas flood victims

One dead, 28 missing in floods on China-Nepal border

Typhoon Danas kills two, injures hundreds in Taiwan; Woman killed during storms across northern Italy

Indonesia volcano spews 18-kilometre ash tower

ICE WORLD
US sanctions on Sudan over alleged chemical weapons use take effect

Green bonds offer hope, and risk, in Africa's climate fight

Africa must pivot from aid to trade: WTO

Tunisia U-turn on phosphate plant sparks anger in blighted city

ICE WORLD
Beyond male dominance in primates new study redefines gender power roles

Light travels through entire human head in breakthrough for optical brain imaging

Human brain reveals hidden action cues AI still fails to grasp

Deforestation in S.Leone national park threatens chimps, humans alike

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.