Massive Glacier Collapse Caused Deadly Mudslide, Expert Says
The collapse of a glacier and rocks, in an area extending about one kilometer wide and about two kilometers long, is highly likely to have caused the deadly mudslide that occurred along the border between Nepal and China, according to a professor at The University of Tokyo.
A massive glacier collapse and subsequent mudslide along the border between Nepal and China has been linked to a professor's analysis, according to the University of Tokyo. Professor Hidenori Watanabe, who specializes in satellite image analysis, determined that the glacier, spanning approximately one kilometer in width and two kilometers in length, likely caused the deadly mudslide.
This analysis utilized 3D models constructed from data captured by U.S. Earth observation satellites and other sources preceding and following the event. The professor confirmed that the glacier's collapse exposed soil at an elevation of around 5,000 meters due to a large-scale breakup of ice and rock. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that the glacier collapse released energy equivalent to a magnitude 5.2 earthquake.
The mudslide traveled down the valley, engulfing nearby villages and ascending about 700 meters up the slope from the riverbank in certain areas. Professor Watanabe emphasized that this incident marks an unprecedented disaster, validating predictions made about global warming leading to glacier collapses and subsequent flooding.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
