What caused the 2023 Sikkim GLOF disaster according to a recent study
Investigating the findings that suggest a Himalayan tsunami, not cloudburst, triggered the disaster in Sikkim.
- A recent study suggests that the 2023 Sikkim GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) disaster was triggered by a Himalayan tsunami rather than a cloudburst.
- The disaster was caused by a glacial lake outburst flood, which occurs when a glacial lake dam fails and releases a large volume of water downstream.
- The study indicates that the outburst event was not caused by heavy rainfall, as commonly believed, but by a massive landslide that fell into the lake.
- This landslide created a tsunami-like wave that rapidly drained the glacial lake and caused catastrophic flooding downstream in Sikkim.
- The findings highlight the complex nature of glacial lake outburst floods and the need for further research to understand and mitigate such disasters in the Himalayan region.
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10 months ago