Scientists say pre‑event signals were missed before deadly Nepal‑Tibet glacier collapse

On August 26 a glacier near Langtang Lirung on the Nepal‑China frontier collapsed, triggering a massive ice‑rock avalanche and flood that have killed more than 1,000 people and left thousands missing, including workers trapped in hydroelectric tunnels. Satellite radar data show the glacier‑rock system was moving downhill at about 10 mm per month and accelerated in the days before failure, a pattern that researchers say could have indicated growing instability.

A scientific review identified brown‑tinged meltwater and a propagating crack in the bedrock days before the event as clear pre‑event signals, but current early‑warning systems in the region mainly monitor glacial lakes and do not cover such glacier‑related threats. UN officials have warned that accelerating glacier melt is increasing the risk of similar disasters across the Himalayas, threatening millions who depend on meltwater for water and electricity.