BENGALURU, India — In Nepal, a deadly flash flood struck on Wednesday, and scientists speculate that the incident might have stemmed from a colossal glacier fragment breaking away. This event likely obstructed the river momentarily, with the subsequent release of pent-up water surging downstream with tremendous force hours later, as initial investigations suggest.
Researchers are diligently analyzing satellite images and ground reports to unravel the precise triggers of the torrent that claimed at least 353 lives. Over 1,300 individuals remain unaccounted for, including several international visitors and pilgrims.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a magnitude 5.2 glacier collapse occurred on Wednesday, pushing destructive debris downstream and devastating local communities. This conclusion was drawn from a combination of data acquired from proximate seismic stations, long-period seismic waves, and satellite imagery.
“It seems the lower section of a glacier has truly sheared off,” remarked Jakob Steiner, a geoscientist affiliated with the University of Graz in Austria, currently residing in Bangladesh. “When observing the visuals, it’s as if the glacier’s lower part was sliced away with an enormous knife.”
Steiner elaborated that the immense mass of glacial ice plummeting from a considerable height might have appeared akin to a bomb detonation, sparking the ensuing turmoil.
Scientists said it is too early to draw a direct connection between