Back to news
18 May 2015 | News

ICIMOD evaluates the hazards of upper Langtang Valley

1 min Read

70% Complete
Langtang village after the avalanche in 2015. Photo: ICIMOD archive

ICIMOD has spent the past three weeks collaborating with an international team of scientists to evaluate the hazards that contributed to Langtang Valley’s post-earthquake disaster on 25 April 2015, and are working to identify the area’s current conditions and potential future hazards.

Using eyewitness accounts and images obtained from Google Earth and helicopter, the team has drafted an initial report. The report suggests that the 25 April 2015 earthquake triggered part of a hanging glacier in the Langtang Lirung and Langtang II Mountains above the valley to become unhinged and collide into the mountain below, prompting an avalanche of snow, ice, and rock material. In addition, analysis also suggests that a destructive pressure wave accompanied the avalanche in certain parts of the valley. As a result, the valley’s eight highest villages – Thyangshyup, Tsarding, Chamki, Gumba, Langtang, Mundu, Singdum, and Kyangjing – were damaged or completely destroyed.

As aftershocks continue and the monsoon season begins, the possibility of more avalanches and landslides remains. The ICIMOD team will continue to monitor the conditions of the upper Langtang Valley as post-earthquake recovery gets underway.

Downloads

Villages in Langtang Valley destroyed by landslides and pressure waves during the 25 April 2015 earthquake
 

Langtang village before the avalanche in 2015
Langtang village before the avalanche in 2015. Photo: ICIMOD archive
Langtang village before the avalanche in 2015
Langtang village after the avalanche in 2015. Photo: ICIMOD archive

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

related contents

Continue exploring this topic

20 Dec 2019 REEECH
Renewable energy solutions for enterprise development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) have ...

30 Jul 2015 News
Using tablets for real-time data collection

Socio-economic data collection through household surveys need huge investment in time, human resource, and cost. When one of these is ...

6 Mar 2015 News
ICIMOD Engages with the Corporate Sector for Sustainable Ecosystem Goods and Services

The overarching objective of the joint workshop was to create a platform for the ...

28 Jul 2015 News
Training focuses on vegetable products for Bhutan

The Rural Livelihoods and Climate Change Adaptation (Himalica) programme has been implementing a pilot project at Barshong Geog of Tsirang ...

River Basins in the Age of Federalism

Effective management of river basins for multiple benefits, such as the availability of water for domestic use, agriculture, and energy, ...

30 Nov 2015 News
Training for Partners in Bhutan

A three-day training for Bhutanese partners on vulnerability assessment was conducted ...

11 Aug 2015 News
Experts stress need for collaboration to protect the natural heritage of earthquake-affected areas of Nepal

Over 50 experts and conservation practitioners from the region stressed the need for greater collaboration to overcome the socio-ecological impacts ...

10 Jan 2017 News
Training for the Development of Flood Outlook in Bhutanese River Basins

A week-long training on flood outlook was organized by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Thimphu, Bhutan, ...