Glacial Lake outbursts

Introduction

The retreat of Himalayan glaciers from their neoglacial maxima provides an insight into the glaciological processes that affected the area during the Late Quaternary and subsequent glacial episodes. Associated with these processes in the present day is the potential risk posed by glaciers and their impacts on human activities. Any glacier related feature or process that adversely affects human activities, directly or indirectly could be regarded as a glacial hazard (Reynolds, 1992).

Glacial hazards encompass a wide range of events from catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF’s) destroying vital infrastructure in vulnerable communities through to glacier recession from climatic change resulting in increased storage of water behind unstable moraine dams at high altitude. Although a single glacial hazard rarely involves as many casualties as geologic hazards, the impact in high-risk areas and communities ...