How melting glaciers contributed to the flooding disaster in the Himalayas
The scale of the disaster in the Himalayas is becoming clearer a day after catastrophic flooding tore through parts of Nepal and Tibet. Scientists believe the disaster was likely triggered by the collapse of a glacier, unleashing a torrent of water, mud and debris that swept away entire communities. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Dan Shugar of the waterSHED Lab at the University of Calgary.
The devastating flooding in Nepal and Tibet has revealed the scale of the disaster, with a day after the catastrophic event, scientists are pointing to the collapse of a glacier as the likely trigger. Geoff Bennett spoke to Dan Shugar, a researcher from the waterSHED Lab at the University of Calgary, for more insight. The flood, which swept away entire communities, bridges, roads, and entire villages, is being blamed on a glacier collapse high in the mountains.
Geoff Bennett reported that the death toll in Nepal stood at least 390, with over 1,400 others still missing as rescue teams raced to reach survivors in some of the world's most challenging terrains. Rescue efforts have been especially difficult due to the treacherous terrain of the Himalayas. Nepalese officials confirmed that dozens of bridges and 25 miles of roads were damaged, making the search and rescue operation even more challenging.
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