Researchers Warn Flooding , From Glacial Melt , Threatens Vulnerable Communities.
Fox News reports that melting mountain
glaciers present a growing risk of flooding to
an estimated 15 million people around the world.
In a report published on February 7,
researchers warn that communities in
Asia face the greatest possible danger. .
The risk is posed when lakes overfill, bursting
through natural barriers and sending a torrent
of water crashing down mountain valleys.
According to scientists, the most
vulnerable populations to face this growing
threat live in India, Pakistan, China and Peru.
Our work does not just focus on the size or number of glacier lakes - no disaster is natural - it is the presence of people, especially vulnerable people, in the landscape that causes a disaster, Stuart Dunning, physical geographer at
Britain's Newcastle University, via Fox News.
Fox News reports that glacial lake outburst floods
are expected to worsen and become more
frequent as the climate continues to warm.
Between 2006 and 2016, the world's
glaciers lost an estimated
332 gigatons of ice per year. .
The study, published in the journal
'Nature Communications,' found that danger is highest
wherever a large number of people live next to a lake.
The study, published in the journal
'Nature Communications,' found that danger is highest
wherever a large number of people live next to a lake.
Across Asia, approximately 9 million
people live near over 2,000 glacial lakes. .
According to 2022 research,
over 200 Himalayan glacial lakes pose a very
high threat to communities in the region.