Large drainages from short-lived glacial lakes in the Teskey Range, Tien Shan Mountains, Central Asia

Between 2006 and 2014, four significant glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) occurred in the western Teskey Range, Kyrgyzstan, with water volumes ranging from 123,000 m³ to 437,000 m³. These 'tunnel-type' lakes, characterized by subsurface outlets, rapidly expand and drain within months due to ice tunnel blockages caused by freezing or debris collapse. Field surveys and satellite data analysis identified 53 potential short-lived glacial lakes in the region, with 34 capable of peak discharges exceeding 10 m³/s. The study highlights geomorphological conditions—ice-cored moraine complexes, depressions without visible surface outlets—that predispose these areas to GLOFs, posing risks to livelihoods and infrastructure.

Narama, C., Daiyrov, M., Duishonakunov, M., Tadono, T., Sato, H., Kääb, A., Ukita, J., & Abdrakhmatov, K. (2018). Large drainages from short-lived glacial lakes in the Teskey Range, Tien Shan Mountains, Central Asia. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 18(4), 983–995. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-983-2018