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Glacial melting and Glacier Lake Outburst Floods

by | 08-11-2014 14:14



The Hindu Kush-Himalayan region contains the world?s largest volume of glacier ice and perennial snow outside the Polar Regions. Its melt water contributes to the major rivers that supply freshwater to almost a quarter of humanity residing in the downstream areas. The Himalayan range extends for approximately 2,400 km within the 3,500 km length of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan ranges, and has about 33,000 sq.km of the estimated 110,000 sq.km of glaciated area. The Nepal Himalayas occupy 800 km of the central section of the Himalayan range. (As extracted from ICIMOD report)

Due to global warming which has caused increased in average temperature has resulted in melting of glacial in Himalaya region. Glacial melting is occurring at the rate as high as 50 feet per year. Glacial Lake outburst Floods (GLOF) occurs when glacial lakes fill past their breaking points and burst causing extensive damage to roads, bridges, trails and villages.

Nepal has experienced 24 GLOF events of which 14 were occurred in Nepal itself while 10 were the result of flood surge overspills across the Tibet. 40 of Nepal?s 2300 glacial lakes are identified as potentially dangerous for GLOF out of which 20 are likely to burst.

Some of the GLOF are-Madi river( Kabache lake,15 August,2004 and 8 August 2004),  Dud Koshi( Tam Pokhari river,1998), Tama Koshi (Chumbung lake,1991) and so forth.

In dudh Koshi GLOF 2million USD damaged occurred while in Madi GLOF damages are yet unknown.

If GLOF and glacial melting continues to occur then not only it will cause immediate damages like destruction of infrastructure, taking away human life and assets, agricultural land damage and sweeping away livestock but also long term effects. If glacial continues to melt then there will be decline in water level of glacier fed rivers thus decreasing supply to water for those people (more than one billion of people) that depends on those rivers. This will create environmental and economic chaotic situation and people have to face the music. Also, melting of glacial lakes will leave mountains snowless thus effecting the biodiversity and eco system of Mountain region.

Mountain occupies special position economically, socially and environmentally in Nepal. It?s one of the reasons many tourists come here. Mountain as well consists of unique eco-system and is home to rare and endangered species like Snow Leopard, Red Panda, Yarchhaghumba, Panchaaule and so on. Nepalese people depend upon mountain as source of water, energy production (hydroelectricity is major source of energy in Nepal) as most of the rivers are originated from mountains. If glacial melting and GLOF continue to occur, it?s going to affect Nepal severely.

Now is the right time to act, protect our earth and do our best while being eco friendly. We don?t need another GLOF to prove climate change and global warming. We don?t want to see rise in sea level, increase in area of deserts, uncovered snowless mountains, people suffering from starvation and thirst, extinction of those endangered and rare animals. Snow covered White Mountains are beautiful and it?s the right of every organism to enjoy their eco system.

So it?s the duty of every responsible global citizen to act from their side, inform other about such natural disasters caused by human activities, leave less carbon footprint, adopt eco-friendly technologies and mitigate climate change and global warming.