The newly formed barrier lake on the Nepal-Tibet border poses an immediate, catastrophic threat to Nepal.
About Barrier Lake:
A barrier lake is more commonly known as a landslide dam or lake.
Formation:
It is created in a river valley when landslide debris completely blocks a stream or river.
The displaced material effectively becomes a natural dam, trapping water upstream and creating a temporary reservoir.
It is commonly formed in places with high, steep mountains and narrow river valleys that witness activity such as rock, soil and mud avalanches, slides, or flows.
This instantly plugs the river Water rapidly accumulates behind this natural blockage.
As water pressure mounts, the loose debris dam can erode or suddenly collapse.
This triggers the lake burst, sending a catastrophic wall of water downstream.
The timescale of a breach can vary from days to even decades after the formation of a dam.
Impact of Barrier Lake Failure:
A failure of the dam can potentially release millions of cubic metres of water in a short period, causing catastrophic flooding downstream.
This flooding can carry debris and also create secondary landslides downstream, compounding its effect.
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