Newcastle University in the UK led a global group of researchers in performing the worlds initially extensive assessment of the areas most vulnerable to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods. The research study exposed that 15 million people globally are at threat of flooding from glacial lakes, with an out of proportion number located in simply four countries. These lakes can suddenly rupture and develop a fast-flowing Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) that can spread over a big range from the initial website– more than 120 km in some cases.
Newcastle University in the UK led a global group of scientists in performing the worlds initially thorough assessment of the areas most susceptible to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods. The research study revealed that 15 million individuals worldwide are at danger of flooding from glacial lakes, with an out of proportion number located in simply four countries. The research also determined concern locations for flood prevention efforts.
Fifteen million people around the world are at threat from flooding triggered by glacial lakes, with just 4 countries representing over half of those exposed.
An international group of researchers led by Newcastle University, UK, has produced the first international assessment of areas at biggest risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods and recognized top priority locations for mitigation.
As the environment gets warmer, glaciers pull away and meltwater collects at the front of the glacier, forming a lake. These lakes can unexpectedly break and produce a fast-flowing Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) that can spread over a large range from the original site– more than 120 km in many cases. GLOFs can be highly destructive and damage home, infrastructure, and farming land and can result in significant loss of life.
The variety of glacial lakes has actually proliferated given that 1990 as a result of environment change. At the very same time, the number of people living in these catchments has also increased considerably..
The research study group took a look at 1,089 glacial lake basins worldwide and the variety of individuals living within 50 kilometers (~ 30 miles) of them, along with the level of development in those areas and other societal indicators as markers of vulnerability to GLOFs. They then used this details to quantify and rank the capacity for damage from GLOFs at an international scale and assess communities capability to respond successfully to a flood..
The results highlighted that 15 million individuals live within 50 km of a glacial lake which High Mountain Asia (which incorporates the Tibetan Plateau, from Kyrgyzstan to China), has the greatest GLOF danger, with 9.3 million people possibly at threat. India and Pakistan have around 5 million exposed people– about one-third of the international overall integrated.
Lead scientist, Caroline Taylor, a doctoral student at Newcastle University, said: “This work highlights that its not the areas with the biggest number or most rapidly growing lakes that are most unsafe. Instead, it is the number of individuals, their proximity to a glacial lake and significantly, their capability to handle a flood that determines the possible threat from a GLOF occasion.”.
The research, which will be released today (February 7, 2023) in the journal Nature Communications, also highlights Peru as one of the four countries, together with India, Pakistan, and China, that represent over half of the variety of individuals worldwide exposed to prospective danger from glacial lake flooding. The research study group indicate the relative lack of research study on the risk from glacial lakes in the Andes and state that further research is urgently required to better comprehend the possible GLOF threat on a local level in this location due to the high variety of people living in proximity to glacial lakes and their decreased capacity to cope with the effect of a GLOF.
Dr. Rachel Carr, Head of Physical Geography at Newcastle University and a co-author, stated: “Understanding which areas deal with the biggest risk from glacial flooding will enable for more targeted and reliable risk management actions which in turn will help reduce death and damage to facilities downstream as an outcome of this significant natural risk.”.
Reference: “Glacial lake outburst floods threaten millions worldwide” 7 February 2023, Nature Communications.DOI: 10.1038/ s41467-023-36033-x.
