Bhotekoshi Flood Debris Enough to Build 40 Pyramids, Study Shows
The devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River on Bhadra 10 caused massive loss of life and property. Scientists estimate the fallen rock and ice debris at about 110 million cubic meters, enough to build 40 Giza pyramids. Climate change is exacerbating such disasters.
Kathmandu. The devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River on Bhadra 10 caused massive loss of life and property. The bodies of about 1,500 people have been found, while thousands are still missing.
The scale of this event has stunned even geologists. Geologist Ranjan Dahal of Tribhuvan University says, "It is hard to believe the suffering of the victims and the devastated villages."
Satellite images revealed that the debris flow originated from a massive block of rock and ice that fell from Langtang Lirung mountain. This powerful flood descended at a speed of over 160 to 190 kilometers per hour, destroying settlements along the riverbanks.
Scientists estimate the fallen rock and ice debris at about 110 million cubic meters. That is enough to build 40 Giza pyramids.
To understand the origin of this disaster, scientists analyzed multiple factors. Initially, some thought it might have been caused by a glacial collapse. However, satellite images found that a rock slab about 2.2 square kilometers wide had broken off and fallen at an altitude of about 5,150 meters on the northern part of the mountain.
The role of climate change in this event cannot be ignored. Human-induced global warming is melting the ice that binds mountains together. According to glaciologist Ulyana Pena, this problem is not limited to Nepal. Mountains around the world are collapsing. –Agency