As Glacial Outflow Lakes Swell In Andes, So Does Awareness Of Potentially Catastrophic Flooding

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Flanked by the Cordillera Blanca to the east and the Cordillera Negra to the west, the city of Huaraz is no stranger to GLOFs -- nor is any city in the region, for that matter. The oldest records of glacial lake outbursts -- or "aluviones" -- date back to the 16th century with stories about avalanches and glacial floods burying the old cities of Huaraz and Ancash. But local experts believe such events are a big part of Peru's history.

"There are myths, legends, that have been passed along through generations in places where there hasn't been any avalanches for centuries," said glacial engineer César Portocarrero.

In 1941, a huge chunk of ice from the Palcaraju glacier fell into Lake Palcacocha, creating a wave so big it breached the moraine and dumped billions of gallons down the Callejón de Huaylas, or the Santa River valley, into Huaraz. In a matter of minutes, about a third of the city was under water and more than 5,000 people were killed.

Lake Palcacocha's outburst in 1941 set the foundations for the creation of a government glaciology unit, Portocarrero said, with an office in Lima established to supervise such threats. But it wasn't until the 1970 avalanche disaster -- prompted by a 7.9 Richter scale earthquake -- which buried the city of Yungay and killed more than 20,000 people, that the Unit of Glaciology and Lake Safety was created, he explained.

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http://www.eenews.net/public/climatewire/2013/03/14/1