La tragedia de Nepal alerta sobre una amenaza creciente: 15 millones de personas viven bajo la amenaza de los lagos glaciares
El mapa global de riesgo de este tipo de eventos extremos muestra cómo el fenómeno se ha multiplicado por seis en un siglo, impulsado por el cambio climático
A devastating flood in Tibet and Nepal has highlighted the growing threat posed by glacial lakes, with 15 million people worldwide living under the danger of these deadly occurrences. The recent catastrophe was triggered by the collapse of a massive ice mass, known as a GLOF (glacier lake outburst flood), which unleashed a sudden flood.
Climate change and rising temperatures are accelerating this phenomenon, as flood events have increased sixfold over the last century. Mountain ranges such as the Himalayas, Andes, and Alps are particularly susceptible to these disasters, affecting 15 million people globally, half of whom reside in Peru, India, China, and Pakistan.
Despite the difficulty in monitoring glaciers and lakes, especially in developing nations, early evacuation measures can save lives. For example, a Swiss village was evacuated two days before another glacier collapsed last year.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
