‘A tsunami in the sky’: Climate change is melting Bhutan’s glaciers and the danger is real
THIMPHU: High up in the mountains of Bhutan’s north, ancient glaciers punctuate a stunning, ethereal landscape. This landscape is a special one, enwrapped in myth and mystery.
It is pristine land, largely untouched by (1) humanity. Culture-driven conservation has endured here.
The region’s tallest peaks have never been scaled by man, nor have its picturesque lakes been disturbed. It is out of respect - locals believe the mountains, lakes and glaciers are deities, to be (2) honoured and feared.
Yet it is the impacts of manmade global (3) emissions that is slowly destroying them nonetheless.
Baca Juga: Jawab Soal Materi Bahasa Inggris Kelas XII, Chapter V Assessment A No. 9-12
Rising temperatures as a result of climate change is accelerating the rate of glacial melt in Bhutan’s highlands.
In the silence of the mountain, now, danger looms - a killer that could unleash at any moment.
For some glaciers, annual retreat levels are up to 35 m, feeding (4) massive amounts of water into surrounding lakes.
The risk of these lakes collapsing - in a phenomenon known as a glacial lake outburst flood or GLOF - has the entire country on edge.
“With global warming, glaciers are (5) melting and our water resources are moving faster downstream. We call it a tsunami in the sky, that can come anytime,” said Karma Drupchu, the national director of the country’s National Center for Hydrology & Meteorology (NCHM).