Disaster Chain Analysis of Avalanche and Landslide and the River Blocking Dam of the Yarlung Zangbo River in Milin County of Tibet on 17 and 29 October 2018

Abstract

As a “starting zone” and “amplifier” of global climate change, the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is very responsive to climate change. The global temperature rise has led directly to an acceleration of glacial melting in the plateau and various glacier avalanche disasters have frequently occurred. The landslide caused by glacier avalanches will damage the surrounding environment, causing secondary disasters and a disaster chain effect. Take the disaster chain of the Yarlung Zangbo River at Milin County in Tibet on 17 and 29 October 2018 as an example; a formation mechanical model was proposed. The evolution mechanism for the chain of events is as follows: glacial melt → loose moraine deposit → migration along the steep erosion groove resulting in glacier clastic deposition then debris flow → formation of the dam plug to block the river → the dammed lake. This sequence of events is of great significance for understanding the developmental trends for future avalanches, landslides, and river blocking dam disasters, and for disaster prevention planning and mitigation in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.