The frequency of floods in high mountain Asia has increased significantly, according to a study. The study, conducted by a team of scientists including environment expert Sonam Wangchuk, analysed 1,015 floods since 1950.Since 1950, the region’s average temperature has shown a steady rise, warming at a rate of 0.3 degrees Celsius per decade. Meanwhile, precipitation patterns have changed in complex ways, both in terms of location and timing, the scientists said.The study said that a rise in the unpredictability in the timing of floods. Most flooding events continue to occur during monsoon, where rise in number of floods happening outside these times.The study also confirms that planetary heating from the burning of oil, coal, and gas is driving the rise in all four of the main types of floods seen in the Asian region.The most common types of floods are caused by heavy rain and snowmelt. Less frequent, but more sudden and highly destructive, are those that caused by glacial lake outbursts (GLOFs) and landslide-dammed lake outburst floods (LLOFs).While population rise and expansion of infrastructure increase exposure to risk, temperature rise is the key factor in the rise in the number of all four categories of floods.“The rules of floods are changing and the window for adaptation is closing,” warned Sonam Wangchuk, one of the report’s authors. He cautioned single monsoon cloudburst or glacial collapse can trigger cascading disasters, overwhelming unprepared regions. “We should prioritise real-time monitoring of floods in vulnerable valleys, restrict infrastructure projects in high-risk zones, and strengthen data-sharing agreements between High Mountain Asia nations to address transboundary threats,” he added.Authors said that while climate change is aggravating the risks of all types of floods, there are complex dynamics at play in each type.The study is published in February’s edition of Science Bulletin, a peer-reviewed international journal, which is sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
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