Surging glaciers pose high risk to populated areas in Asia

An international research team led by the University of Portsmouth has identified over 3,100 “surging glaciers” globally. These glaciers are characterized by sudden, significant increases in movement speed that can last for years. While these glaciers represent only 1% of the world's total number, they account for nearly one-fifth of the global glacier area.

Researchers have identified 81 high-risk glaciers that pose direct threats to densely populated areas. More than half of these surging glaciers (50.5%) are concentrated in High Mountain Asia, including the Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas, and the Karakoram Range. The Karakoram region, where China, Pakistan, and India meet, is noted as a particularly high-risk zone due to the presence of villages, roads, and hydroelectric infrastructure downstream.

Glacial surging can lead to catastrophic chain reactions, such as the formation of unstable glacial lakes that may burst, causing massive floods, debris flows, and avalanches. Furthermore, the rapid melting of approximately 95,000 glaciers in Asian mountain regions poses a long-term threat. Experts warn that if carbon emissions are not curtailed, up to 75% of existing glaciers in these Asian regions could disappear by 2100.