Geomorphic Hazards

Glacier Lakes: Growing danger in the Himalayas.

2011-10-15T15:30:00.004+01:00

The Guardian published an article on 11 October 2001 entitled “Deadlier by the day. The Himalayan lakes that are threatening a disaster.” This article is about the hazard of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), and the increased hazard with more glacier front lakes developing as glaciers retreat due to climate warming. The article PLUS A VIDEO ON THIS TOPIC can be reached via the link above, or via: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/oct/10/glacier-lakes-melt-himalayas?newsfeed=true
An example given in the article is Glacial Lake Imja which did not exist in 1953 when Everest was first climbed. In 1992 the lake was about 1.3km long ( see http://iahs.info/redbooks/a218/iahs_218_0319.pdf ) Teije Watanabe has been studying this lake since the 1990s and returned in September this year and found the lake much larger (about 2.4km long). Like many of these ice front glacier lakes, this lake is dammed by moraine deposited by the glacier as it retreated. Some moraine barriers are even more hazardous because they are ice cored (ice buried in glacial sediment), and the moraine may subside as the ice melts. Now there is a risk of the moraine barrier on Lake Imja being eroded by a meltwater flood (possibly aided by collapse of buried ice, if present). This could release the large volume of water held behind the moraine barrier and a mega flood would surge down the valley destroying villages, drowning people, damaging agricultural land etc. There are a range of possible counter measures: reducing lake volume by siphoning water or by diversion tunnels , strengthening the natural spillway over the moraine dam, etc. However the remote location of many of these glacial lakes makes all engineering work difficult and more expensive.
John Reynolds, a British engineering geologist with much experience of this topic, cautions that Lake Imja is not the most hazardous, but it has had more attention because it is close to the main route to Mount Everest. There are many potentially hazardous glacial lakes. He advises that a Himalaya wide evaluation of GLOF risk is needed and an action plan needs to be drawn up to tackle this hazard in the Himalaya on an international scale.

Large Coastal Rockfall caught on Video.

2011-10-15T11:41:00.002+01:00

Large Coastal Rockfall caught on Video.
A video of a large rockfall at North Cliffs, Cornwall, England, has been recorded due to quick thinking of someone on the spot. This has been reported with some useful comment in The Guardian of 7 October 2011 at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/oct/07/massive-cornwall-rockfall-on-video
This is an exceptional opportunity to see a natural rockfall. It is estimated that about 100,000 tonnes of rock fell. This is an extremely unusual video as it is very unlikely someone is at a suitable place with a camcorder ready at the right time. The 50 second video shows a rockfall which converts a 100m high rock cliff to a debris slope. A second video shows the same site 2 weeks later when the lower portion of the debris slope has been eroded by the sea, and conversion to a new, more complex, coastal slope form is underway.
These videos were originally placed on You Tube and if the link above doesn’t go to both videos, you can see them by opening You Tube and searching “Massive Cornwall Rockfall” and “North Cliffs Failure (2 weeks later)”.

Sinkhole appears after storm

2010-06-02T13:37:00.004+01:00

A large sinkhole, some 70m deep, has appeared in the ground, swallowing two buildings, during a heavy storm in Guatemala City. Following more than 1000mm of rainfall in a single storm event, many instances of flooding and local landslides were also reported. It is likely that the sinkhole, formed from dissolution of limestone over thousands of years, was infilled with sediment which was washed away as a result of the storm. The link above goes to a clip of the sinkhole on the BBC web site.
The image is from http://www.blindloop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Sinkhole.jpg. There are some other spectacular images at http://tinyurl.com/2942est.

Hazardous landslide lake

2010-05-18T16:15:00.006+01:00

In the Hunza Valley, Pakistan, a large landslide on 4th January this year blocked the valley, with the potential to produce a very large and hazardous lake. The initial landslide killed 19 and displaced 250 families. Since then attempts have been made to construct spillways to limit the volume of the lake, which is now about 20km long and 100m deep in places. 25,000 people have been evacuated by boat from the upper valley. The lake volume increased slowly in the winter, but in May, with the onset of summer and much melt water, the lake has increased rapidly in volume. Evacuation of 18 villages to 30m above river level is underway and warning sirens installed to aid last minute evacuation. The situation is extremely hazardous as the lake may now overflow within days. The exact size of the possible flood is obviously unknown but some estimate that it may exceed the 30m planned evacuation level. A web search for "Hunza Valley Landslide" gives a large amount of extra information.

Ice avalanche produces a “tsunami” in Peru

2010-04-27T16:36:00.002+01:00

On Tuesday 13 April Rory McCarroll, Guardian Latin America correspondant, wrote an article entitled "Peruvian glacier split triggers deadly tsunami". A mass of ice 500m by 200m split of the Hualcan Glacier and dropped into a lake, "triggering a tsunami that breached 23m high levees". 50 homes and an important water processing plant were destroyed and at least one person was killed. Settlements in the valley were evacuated because there was risk of further ice avalanches. The town of Carhuaz, population 25,000 (Reynolds, 1992) and nearby settlements were affected. Carhuaz has been threatened by glacial flooding hazards in the past (Reynolds, 1998). Further outburst floods and related are likely as the glaciers in this region retreat under the influence of global warming.

Reynolds J.M. 1992. The identification and mitigation of glacier-related hazards: examples from the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. In McCall G.J.H., Laming D.J.C. & Scott S.C. (eds) Geohazards. Chapman & Hall, London 143-157.
Reynolds J.M., Dolecki A. & Portocarrero C. 1998. Construction of a drainage tunnel as part of a glacial lake hazard mitigation at Hualcan, Cordillera Blanca, Peru. In Maund J.G. & Eddleston M. (eds) Geohazards and Engineering Geology. Geological Society, London, Engineering geology Special Publications, 15, 41-48

Remote sensing of disasters

2009-11-11T18:13:00.004Z

SciDev Net asks the question; satellite remote sensing data can provide crucial information for managing natural disasters. How can developing countries access and make use of these data? And what must policymakers do to prepare? Click on the link above to explore some of the facts and figures relating to the use of remote sensing for disaster management. There are also discussions about the lack of political support in some developing countries, case studies of where remote sensing has been used to good effect (including forest fires, drought and volcanic activity), and issues around improved education for hazard monitoring.

2008 - the year of the disaster

2008-12-31T17:06:00.002Z

An international insurance company, Munich Re, has said that 2008 has been one of the worst years for natural disasters. A string of floods, tsunami, earthquakes and hurricanes has led to £137bn in financial losses and more than 220,000 deaths. It is thought that climate change has led to an exacerbation of certain hazards, particularly flooding and weather-related events such as hurricanes. The worst single events of the year have been the Chinese earthquake that left 70,000 dead and the Burmese cyclone Nargis that killed 130,000.

Jurassic Coast Landslide

2008-06-07T21:49:00.003+01:00

On 6th May 2008, 95m high cliffs along a 400m wide section of World Heritage Coast between Lyme Regis and Charmouth collapsed. This stretch of coast is no stranger to landsliding and comprises a similar range of weak shales and marls as much of the Isle of Wight, also subject to frequent landslide activity. Long term inundation from prolonged summer and winter rainfall produces high pore water pressures that contribute to instability and such events can be expected to become more frequent with more the extreme weather associated with climate change. Video footage of the slide can be seen at the BBC web site http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7388564.stm and a Google Earth image of the coast affected is available at http://tinyurl.com/69hn2b.

Snakes Pass Landslide

2008-02-06T12:22:00.000Z

The A57 Snakes Pass road (the main link between Manchester and Sheffield) has been closed for two weeks due to a landslide (image from Prof. Brian Whalley). The landslide occurred following heavy rain, a sequence of events not unusual in this locality (e.g. http://tinyurl.com/23gmww). The steep hillslopes in this region of the 'Dark Peak' are particularly vulnerable to mass movement being underlain by thin sandstones interbedded with weak, easily weathered shales. Other notable landslides in the immediate vicinity include Alport Castles (see http://tinyurl.com/2snvl2) and Mam Tor (see http://tinyurl.com/38fkq2) - (image from DTN).

Flooding in Australia

2008-01-07T13:22:00.000Z

For news of recent inland and coastal flooding in eastern Australia click on the link in the title above. For some video aerial footage visit http://tinyurl.com/3cvc63. Flash flooding has occurred in some parts. Ironically, the spate of heavy rainfall leading to this flooding follows months of severe drought.

Tsho Rolpa outburst threatened

2007-12-06T07:17:00.000Z

The Tsho Rolpa glacial lake in the high Nepalese Himalayas, has been carefully monitored for a number of years. The lake is constrained by a moraine dam which is vulnerable to ground movements (from landslides, glacier falls and seismic activity) and from melting of ice blocks contained within it. The glacial outburst flood that could potentially result from a breach of the moraine dam would reach villages as far as 100km downvalley. Subsequent water shortages would have severe effects on the Ganges as well as Nepal. The glacier which feeds Tsho Rolpa has receded rapidly over the last 10 years - a function of global warming - and the lake grows in length by 100m each year. Controlled lake drainage via an artificial outlet channel ensures that water levels are gradually being reduced, but not at a sufficient rate to reduce pressure on the moraine. Nepal has 17 similar glacial lakes which have no control measures in place. Further information can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/ytkkpm. The image shows a small ice-marginal lake at Hoffelsjokull in Iceland.

Flooding in Mexico

2007-11-02T13:13:00.000Z

Prolonged and heavy rainstorms over more than a week have caused seven rivers in the Mexican state of Tabasco to swell, flooding 70% of the land area of this Gulf coast state. It is thought that 100% of crops will be lost. Estimates vary as to the number of fatalities so far, but numbers are small. At the onset of the storms last week, 23 died in an oil rig collision. The state was similarly affected, though not as severly, by unprecendented rainfall in the summer of 1999 (further details at http://www.fas.usda.gov/pecad2/highlights/99-10/fsa101499.htm).

The image is copyright of BBC News.

Calving glacier hazard

2007-08-09T18:08:00.000+01:00

Holidaymakers aboard a cruise ship, sailing off Svalbard, were injured when calving ice from the Horn Glacier crashed onto the side and deck of the ship. It would appear that most injuries were caused due to the ship listing due to the ice collapse. It is unusual for the calving of glacier ice to result in direct risk to humans in this way but direct risk to tourists occurred at the Miage Glacier in the Italian Alps in 1996 (Tinti et al 1996).

Further reading:
TINTI S., MARAMAI A. and CERUTTI A. V. 1999. The Miage Glacier in the Valley of Aosta (Western Alps, Italy) and the extraordinary detachment which occurred on August 9, 1996. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Part A: Solid Earth and Geodesy, 24 (2), 157-161.
REYNOLDS, J. M. 1992. The identification and mitigation of glacier-related hazards: examples from the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. Chapter 13 In: G. J. H. McCall, D. J. C. Laming and S. C. Scott (eds). Geohazards: Natural and Man-made. Chapman and Hall, London, 143-157.

More flash floods and landslides in the UK

2007-07-20T22:41:00.000+01:00

Today has seen yet further incidents of flash flooding and associated chaos in the UK, including a landslide at the side of a motorway. BBC News report here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6907316.stm BBC video clip here: http://tinyurl.com/2u33qq

Cataclysmic flood creates new island

2007-07-20T22:27:00.000+01:00

A study by Sanjeev Gupta and Jenny Collier of Imperial College has revealed a deep, sub-marine trench through the English Channel which is believed to have been carved out by cataclysmic floods 400,000 years ago. The sub-marine scouring, identified on sonar images, is thought to have occurred due to overflow of a massive ice-dammed lake in the southern North Sea. It is estimated that the discharge was between 200,000 and 1 million cubic metres per second - this is at least four times as much as peak flow from the 1996 Icelandic jokulhlaup. Prior to this event Britain was connected to the European mainland via a land promontory.

Flash flooding in England

2007-06-20T12:22:00.000+01:00

Late yesterday evening (Tuesday 19th June) saw flash flooding in many areas of south west and central England. The photograph (Adam Heskins) shows what 15 minutes of rain did in Portishead. There are many reports of road damage and closures, helicopter rescues, airport closures, loss of power, and flooded homes. The Environment Agency still has 27 rivers and their tributaries on Flood Watch and the Met Office has continued to issue severe weather warnings, notably for Grampian region of Scotland which is expected to receive heavy rainfall throughout Wednesday 20th June. A BBC video can be found at: http://www.tiny.cc/flashflood

Columbian floods and landslides

2007-05-29T18:14:00.000+01:00

Several villages in Columbia have been hit by flooding and landslides as a result of heavy rainfall. Floods have destroyed a number of homes. Flooding is exacerbated by sediment accumulation in rivers causing narrowing of the channel. Localised rain-induced mudslides have also left around 8 people, mainly children, dead.

Every year dozens of lives are lost as a direct result of the heavy annual rainfall. The poor, living in makeshift accommodation on steep hillslides, are most at risk.

Karst collapse in Borneo

2007-04-09T15:07:00.000+01:00

A large sinkhole collapse in Sarawak, on the Malaysian island of Borneo, almost led to the loss of c.100 lives. A traditional longhouse, occupied by around 100 people, was quickly evacuated after a man, taking a late night trip to the toilet, raised the alarm when he felt the earth move beneath him and saw the end of the longhouse sinking into the ground.

For further information on the geology and karst landforms of the Sarawak region, visit http://www.oucc.org.uk/procs/proc11/borneo_karst.htm.

For further information on sinkholes, how they develop and why they collapse, visit http://www.dyetracing.com/karst/karst.html.

New Zealand lahar

2007-03-22T16:48:00.000Z

On 18th March 2007, a lahar (volcanic mud flow) spilled down Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand. After an eruption of the volcano in 1995, a 40m high wall of tephra had built up around the crater rim. In this latest event the wall was breached, allowing a mixture of acidic rock fragments, volcanic ash (tephra) and water to spill down the flanks of the mountain. Although there was reported to be no loss of life and no significant damage as a result of the lahar, the potential for extremely hazardous events still exists. This is demonstrated by a 1953 lahar from the same volacno which killed 151 people. The image is from NZPA/Stephen Barker/Associated Press.

For a video clip of the event go to the BBC link: Volcano spews rivers of mud

Indonesian mudflow update

2007-03-22T16:42:00.001Z

Tropical glacier disappearing

2007-02-16T17:13:00.000Z

The Quelccaya ice cap is the largest ice sheet in the tropics and one if its outlet glacers, the Qori Kalis glacier, is fast shrinking due to global warming and the effects of El Nino. There are fears this Peruvian glacier could disappear within just five years as its current retreat rate is 60m yr^-1. The report comes from work conducted by climate scientist, Professor Lonnie Thompson, from Ohio State Univeristy. The image is copied from the BBC web site (link above).

Shifting shores: Adaptation is the answer

2007-02-13T08:38:00.000Z

The National Trust have published a report 'Shifting Shores' on the effects of coastal flooding and erosion over the next century. The study, conducted by Halcrow, predicts that over 4,000 hectares of Trust land will be at risk of flooding and more than 600km will be subject to erosion. The causes of the predicted flooding and erosion include climate change (especially high tides and severe storms), the ongoing dynamic nature of coastal environments and isostatic rebound. The Trust pledges to take the long term view and adopt a plicy of adaptation rather than defence. This means adapting infrastructure and careful planning for recreation, heritage and wildlife. The full report can be downloaded at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-shifting_shores.pdf

Glaciers shrinking faster

2007-01-30T07:29:00.000Z

The BBC reports on new data available from the World Glacier Monitoring Service (http://www.wgms.ch/) which suggest that the rate of glacier shrinking due to global warming is now three times as fast as it was in the 1980's. The photo (from O. Gruber, H. Rentsch and M. Siebers from the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities) was taken in 1968 at Vernagtferner in Austria. Photos taken at the same location in 1912 and 2003 are shown in the BBC News item and demonstrate the huge shrinkage that has occurred over the last century. During 2005 alone, the glacier was reduced in thickness by more than 0.5m.

Indonesian mud volcano continues to erupt

2007-01-26T10:09:00.000Z

Remember the unstoppable 'mud volcano' in East Java (see posting on 5th October 2006)? A new report into the disaster has been produced by a consortium of Durham, Cardiff and Aberdeen Universities and GeoPressure Technology Ltd, headed by Professor Richard Davies of Durham University’s Centre for Research into Earth Energy Systems (CeREES). They conclude that the flow is almost certainly the result of drilling. When drilling, boreholes are usually protected by steel casing to prevent collapse of the walls due to gas or fluid pressure. It appears that casing was not used during this exploratory drilling into an artesian limestone aquifer. The rock walls fractured, allowing a mud-water fluid mixture to rise to the surface. Poor drilling practice is cited as the most likely cause of the 'eruption'. The team have rejected antecedent earthquake activity as being a contributing factor. Having studied satellite imagery of the area, they also predict that ultimately, the central vent will collapse, forming a crater. There is further information and images in the BBC News report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6293757.stm.

Satellite images of Philippine mudslides

2006-12-14T08:31:00.000Z

NASA satellite images taken on 12th December provide impressive visual evidence of the impact of ongoing ash and lava flows from Mayon Volcano in the Philippines. On November 30th, a torrential rainstorm turned the loose ash, which has been accumulating since July, into a series of mudslides. The mud reached the outskirts of Legazpi on the south and west volcano flanks and 1000 people are believed to have lost their lives. The images can be viewed via the link above. Click HERE for further information on NASA's Terra satellite. The disaster was originally reported by CNN. Image (Mayon Volcano) from http://www.arrakeen.ch/phil2/philippinesdec2000.html.

Floodline: Flooding in the UK

2006-12-04T18:37:00.000Z

At this time when there are a number of severe flood warnings in the UK, it is useful to be reminded of the Floodline service provided by the Environment Agency (click link above for their web site). Floodline provides information on flood risk in your area (using an interactive map) and explains ways in which you can defend your property against flooding. The web site also gives current flood warnings and boasts an extensive library of publications relating to flooding and flood management. An excellent site for students of geomorphic hazards!

99.9% of glaciers shrinking

2006-10-12T08:34:00.000+01:00

Dr Georg Kaser (University of Innsbruck), President of the IUGG Commission for the Cryospheric Sciences and one of the lead authors of the IPCC 4th Assessment Report, and his team, have published the results of a global survey of glacier mass balance (Article: Kaser, G., Cogley, J. G., Dyurgerov, M. B., Meier, M. F. and Ohmura, A. 2006. Mass balance of glaciers and ice caps: Consensus estimates for 1961–2004, Geophysical Research Letters 33, L19501). The team concludes that there has been a sharp acceleration in the rate of glacier melting in the last five years and they attribute this directly to global warming. Worldwide glacier melting is likely to lead to substantial losses to water suplies for major areas of South America and Asia.

Exploratory drilling triggers unstoppable mudflow....

2006-10-05T13:44:00.000+01:00

A team of geologists from the University of Oslo has stated that efforts to stop the mud flowing 200m from a 2km deep exploratory borehole in East Java are "unlikely to succeed". The mud started gushing from the hole on May 29th and is continuing at a rate of 50,000m³ per day. Two villages have already been flooded and another four will probably have to be destroyed. There are suggestions that the resulting environmental devastation could reach the catastrophic proportions of the Exxon Valdez sunken oil tanker disaster in 1989, Alaska. The geological team have suggested four possible fundamental causes for the mudflow; gas-rich fluid breaching coral mounds on top of the limestone rock; gas produced from a magmatic reaction; a new mud volcano; or migration of hydrothermal fluids from nearby.

Eiger rockfall awaited

2006-07-10T13:47:00.000+01:00

Geologists monitoring Mt. Eiger in the Swiss Alps have reported that a major fissure is opening up at the rate of 75cm per day, loosening a block of rock 2x10⁶ m³ in size. If the rockfall occurs (it is expected in the next few days), debris settling onto glaciers below could block streams and cause downstream flooding or affect water supplies, but there is no direct danger to Man or property. The report made to The Guardian blames global warming for this activity but no evidence for this is presented. It is much more likely to be part of the natural cycle of erosion and deposition occurring in the mountains.

Global glacier mass balance in decline

2006-04-04T13:55:00.000+01:00

The World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) based in Zurich collects and provides annual mass balance data for glaciers around the world. These data, reported by the WGMS at the recent European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna, demonstrate a mean loss of 2.9% per decade from 1850 to 1970. This figure has increased to 8.2% for the period 1970 to 2000. Further information is available from the WGMS web site (from which mass balance data are available) and a recent BBC News report.

The image shows Nigardsbreen on the Jostedals ice cap in central Norway. This is one of the few glaciers which is currently advancing, against the gloabal trend....

Severe land degradation in Africa

2006-03-31T08:33:00.000+01:00

A new report by The International Center for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development (IFDC) presents findings of a programme of monitoring soil 'health' in Africa over the period 1980 to 2004. The IFDC concludes that in several countries the use of the land for agriculture is unsustainable because of nutrient depletion. This has arisen due to over-exploitation, use of marginal land and poor land management practices. The situation is exacerbated by the low usage of fertiliser in Africa which has one of the lowest rates of usage in the world.

Rain-induced landslide

2006-02-17T14:38:00.000Z

Major mudslides have occurred in the Philippines, effectively submerging a village under thick mud. The death toll is still being assessed, but latest reports from the Philippine Red Cross, suggest that at least 200 people have lost their lives and as many as 2,000 are still missing. The landslides have occurred in Leyte Province, following torrential rain and flash flooding. However, while rainfall may have been the main CAUSE of the landslides, the TRIGGER may have been provided by a small earthquake according to Rene Solidum (Director of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in Manila). Other potential causes include logging (see report from New York Times).

Landslide in Dorset

2006-01-17T10:32:00.000Z

On 14th January 2006 a landslide occurred near Charmouth in West Dorset and 17 people had to be rescued from rising tides due to the landslide debris. The landslide has destroyed more of the coastal path and new cracks have opened up in the fields above, indicating further activity is to come. The area is prone to landsliding because impermeable Jurassic clays and limestones underly permeable Cretaceous Greensand. Following prolonged rainfall, the accumulation of percolated water at the boundary between the two formations causes seepage, lubrication and a consequent loss of friction. The result is that the upper strata slide over the underlying strata.

For more information on the geology and landsliding along this stretch of coast, visit the Jurassic Coast web site

World's tallest building triggers earthquake?

2005-12-06T14:07:00.000Z

The world's tallest building, Taipei 101, situated in Tawain, is being blamed for the increased number and magnitude of earthquake tremors that have occurred beneath it. The building, situated on soft sedimentary rocks, is 508m tall and exerts 0.5Mpa on the ground. It has been argued that these stresses are transferred 10km down to the upper crust and have re-activated an ancient fault. Although the number and magnitude of earthquake tremors have increased since construction commenced, some argue that this could simple reflect short-term variability in the natural cycle of events. Others also argue that stresses cannot be transferred to such a depth below the Earth's surface. Furthermore, the total load applied to the ground by Taipei 101 is negligible compared to some stuructures such as dams. What do YOU think?

Natural disasters producing environmental refugees

2005-10-11T15:08:00.000+01:00

According to the United Nations University, there are likely to be 50 million worldwide environmental refugees by 2010. The main sources of refugees are land degradation due to unsustainable land management; and flooding, exacerbated by global warming. The UNU have calculated that the number of refugees created by natural disasters exceeds that produced by war and conflict. The problems are likely to increase as environmental refugees join poor, squatter communities in urban areas.

Rapid glacier retreat in Peru

2005-08-31T12:09:00.000+01:00

The Peruvian tropics are host to many Andean glaciers. These are retreating rapidly due to global warming and it is anticiapted that all glaciers below 5500m will have melted in just TEN years time. The population of Peru mainly occupies a strip of arid desert lying between the oceans and the Andean mountains, and rely on glacial meltwater for their primary water supply. This meltwater supplies domestic, industrial and agricultural uses as well as providing a key source of hydroelectric power. The future for Peruvians looks gloomy.

Massive permafrost thaw in Siberia

2005-08-12T10:10:00.000+01:00

The sub-Arctic region of western Siberia, an area spanning more than a million sq km, is undergoing permafrost thaw on a scale previously unprecedented. The delicate climatic threshold which maintains permafrost has been breached. As this essentially frozen peat bog thaws it will potentially release sufficient quantities of methane (a greenhouse gas considerably more damaging than CO2) to significantly raise global temperatures. Climatologists are said to be 'alarmed' at the finding by Sergei Kirpotin (Tomsk State University, western Siberia) and Judith Marquand (Oxford University). Further details can be found in The Guardian and New Scientist (11th August 2005).

Tsunami warning system for Indian Ocean countries

2005-08-09T17:38:00.000+01:00

It has been agreed by countries flanking the Indian Ocean that a system of seabed sensors and sea-level buoys will be established to warn of potential tsunami threats. While installation of these various devices is expected to take until summer 2006 to be fully operational, the earliest sensors could be in place by December 2005.

Soil erosion produces biggest desert in Europe

2005-08-03T16:33:00.000+01:00

Centuries of unmanaged sheep grazing in Iceland has produced the biggest desert in Europe. Over 60% of the country is officially classified as desert, though the sand here is black and there is no shortage of water. Andres Arnalds, the Deputy Director of the Soil Conservation Service in Iceland, warns that desertification will happen elsewhere in the world where trees are being cleared and land is being over-used.

Soil erosion a threat to China

2005-07-22T12:22:00.000+01:00

A national survey of China in 2004 found that soil erosion has impacted upon 37% of the total area of China. In response to this increasing threat a new, wide-ranging investigation involving more than 200 scientists and policy-makers has been launched (5th July 2005). The aim will be to determine the seriousness of the problem, raise public awareness and develop key strategies to curb erosion.

Useful link: WASER (World Association for Sedimentation and Erosion Research) http://www.waser.cn/default.asp

Bluebird Canyon Landslide

2005-07-18T11:57:00.000+01:00

On 1st June 2005, Bluebird Canyon in California experienced a landslide. It would appear that exceptionally heavy rainfall during the winter period (esp December to February) was the underlying cause of the instability. It is thought that gradual movement of this water into and through the ground caused an unusual increase in groundwater level, subsequently leading to instability. There is concern that the area upslope of the current landslide may enlarge in the coming weeks and months.

Himalayan glaciers 'melting fast'

2005-07-15T09:04:00.000+01:00

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) says that hundreds of millions of people in the Himalays could be affected by severe water shortages because mountain glaciers are melting due to global warming.

Landslides hit north-east India

2005-07-15T08:59:00.000+01:00

On 26th May 2005, after torrential rainfall, a number of landslides occurred in Nagaland in north-east India. The slides killed at least 10 people and many houses have been destroyed or damaged.