Brief communication: An approximately 50 Mm3 ice-rock avalanche on 22 March 2021 in the Sedongpu valley, southeastern Tibetan Plateau

• Published in: The Cryosphere
• Main Authors: Zhao, Chuanxi, Yang, Wei, Westoby, Matt, An, Baosheng, Wu, Guangjian, Wang, Weicai, Wang, Zhongyan, Wang, Yongjie, Dunning, Stuart
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2022
• Subjects: F800 Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences; The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/48848/; https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1333-2022; https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/48848/15/tc-16-1333-2022.pdf; https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/48848/1/tc-2021-306-typeset_manuscript-version6%20%28002%29.pdf; https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/48848/2/tc-2021-306.pdf

On 22 March 2021, a ~50 M m3 ice-rock avalanche occurred from 6500 m asl in the Sedongpu basin, southeastern Tibet. The avalanche transformed into a highly mobile flow which temporarily blocked the Yarlung Tsangpo river. The avalanche flow lasted ~5 minutes and produced substantial geomorphological reworking. This event, and previous ones from the basin, occurred concurrently with, or shortly after recorded positive air temperature anomalies. The occurrence of future large mass flows from the basin cannot be ruled out, and their impacts must be carefully considered given implications for sustainable hydropower and associated socioeconomic development in the region.