Floods in Nepal and Tibet: 'The disaster began with a landslide that swept a glacier along with it'

Floods have struck the Nepal-China border, resulting in over 330 deaths and 1,500 people missing, including 65 from the US. The disaster began with a landslide that swept a glacier along with it, causing devastating flash floods. According to Live Science, the Trishuli River water level surged by 30 feet in just 30 minutes.

The cause of the floods is attributed to a large collapse of glacier ice and rock high above the Lhende Kola river, as stated by Jon Tunnicliffe, a river science researcher at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. The impact of this glacial material was powerful, destroying buildings and uprooting bridges.

Climate scientists have been warning that the Himalayas are warming faster than the rest of the world, increasing the chances of a disaster of this scale, as reported by ABC News AU. The floods have exposed the growing dangers facing the rapidly warming Himalayas, where scientists say retreating ice and thawing ground are making mountain landscapes increasingly unstable, according to RFI English. Authorities have warned the public to stay away from the banks of several rivers amid concerns of further flooding.

Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, Winnipeg Free Press, ABC News AU, Live Science, RFI English — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.