Glacier collapse may have triggered deadly Nepal flash flood, experts say

On Wednesday, a devastating flash flood struck near Nepal's border with Tibet, potentially triggered by the collapse of a glacier, according to experts reviewing satellite imagery from Planet Labs. The lower section of the glacier reportedly broke off and tumbled down hundreds of meters to the valley floor. The cause of the glacier's collapse remains unclear, although Nepali officials have suggested a possible connection to a recent earthquake in the region.

Authorities on both sides of the border are concerned that the death toll could far exceed the approximately 100 bodies already recovered. Over 300 travelers are still missing, as reported by Nepal's government. Satellite images from Planet Labs, analyzed by Reuters, reveal that a significant portion of the lush green mountain terrain has been buried under brown debris and sediment following the event.

Vikram Gupta, an engineering geology expert at India's Sikkim University, confirmed that a substantial portion of the glacier's snout collapsed, likely including or carrying a considerable amount of rock and sediment. Earth scientist Dan Shugar, an associate professor at the University of Massachusetts, further noted the gravity of the situation.