Thousands of glaciers can suddenly surge, triggering avalanches and floods
Researchers have identified over 3,100 'surging glaciers' that can suddenly accelerate, triggering avalanches and floods, with 81 glaciers representing the highest risk. Most of these glaciers are located in the Karakoram Mountains in High Mountain Asia.
A recent study by the University of Portsmouth has found that some glaciers can 'explode' into motion, triggering avalanches and floods, making them harder to predict. The researchers identified over 3,100 'surging glaciers', with 81 representing the highest risk, mostly located in the Karakoram Mountains in High Mountain Asia. These glaciers tend to be large, close to populated areas, and prone to repeated surging. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events could make sudden glacier movements even harder to predict. Glacier surges occur when slow-moving ice suddenly speeds up, pushing ice to the front of the glacier and causing it to advance. The main hazards posed by surging glaciers include glacier advance, river blockages, meltwater bursts, and sudden glacier detachments.
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