Nepal glacier disaster could trigger more avalanches and debris flows, experts warn

Experts are warning of further dangers in Nepal as rescue efforts continue following a massive glacier collapse and landslide that triggered catastrophic flooding.

The landscape around the disaster remains unstable, raising concerns about additional avalanches and debris flows.

“We need to consider the possibility of further instability around the source area,” Prashant Baral, a cryosphere analyst at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), said to CNN.

“The remaining glacier ice, fractured bedrock and recently disturbed slopes may still be unstable following such an exceptionally large rock–ice avalanche.”

A lake that formed in the impact crater beneath the collapsed glacier appears to have mostly drained, reducing fears of another sudden release of water.

“There is not the urgency that there was before that there could be another release of water that would further damage things downstream,” University of Colorado Boulder mountain geographer Alton Byers told CNN.

However, experts say further collapses of surrounding rock or glacier ice could displace remaining water or trigger another debris flow.

Fresh avalanche deposits could also become unstable through erosion, melting and water seepage.

“The potential risk depends not only on the amount of stored water; it also depends on the possible additional collapse of the surrounding glacier and rock,” Baral said.