Scientists Warn Central Asia's Melting Glaciers Could Be a Ticking Time Bomb

TaiwanPlus News

Researchers in Kyrgyzstan are warning that glaciers in Central Asia are melting at an unprecedented rate and the water they release could have devastating consequences for people living nearby.

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00:00After a six-hour trek up into the four kilometre high peaks of northern Kyrgyzstan,

00:06glaciologist Galbara Omorova uses specialised tools

00:10to check the health of the glacier beneath her feet.

00:13The Tian Shan mountain range, which stretches from western China through central Asia,

00:32is home to thousands of ancient glaciers. But in recent years,

00:36researchers like Omorova have watched as climate change rapidly eats away at them.

00:44Omorova says this particular glacier has retreated by almost a kilometre since the

01:121960s, and that it's just one of thousands affected. One report by the Eurasian Development

01:19Bank estimates that up to 30% of glaciers in the mountains of Central Asia have melted away in the

01:24last 60 years, and with 2024 expected to be the hottest year on record, the problem is growing

01:31exponentially. Glacial melting impacts more than just the breathtaking natural scenery

01:38of Central Asia. The massive amounts of water they release can be deadly. Further down the

01:44mountains, scientist Sergei Yurikin explains the risks for those who live close to the glaciers.

02:09Sergei's brother Pavel has been installing devices

02:20that could give residents a few extra moments to escape in the event of a disaster.

02:38Glaciers are important for food and water security in Central Asia,

02:45and as Kyrgyzstan is already one of the poorest countries in the region,

02:49resources are particularly scarce. Researchers like Omorova hope that her government can

02:55introduce laws to help protect the country's glaciers before they come down from the

03:00mountains to their doorstep. Justin Wu and Rhys Ayres for Taiwan Plus.

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