EO Natural Hazards: Landslide Creates Lake in Tibet
Water levels in the Pareechu River in Tibet continue to build behind a natural dam, created by a landslide in the early summer. On September 1, 2004, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured the top image of the new lake. The discolored rings around the basin provide a nice comparison point to see just how much the lake has grown since July 15, when the lower image was taken.
Quick political digression
The Chinese government must be thrilled. The Chinese are now using the lake Yamdrok-Tso – considered holy by Tibetans, but only utilitarian by the Chinese – for hydroelectric power. Yamdrok-Tso is a closed lake, with no new water to replenish it. Critics of the hydroelectric operation claim that the water level is dropping fast, and that the lake may be gone inside of 20 years.
Well, maybe this new lake gives the Chinese have a backup...
