Researchers in Kyrgyzstan are warning that glaciers in Central Asia are melting at an unprecedented rate and the water they release could have devastating consequences for people living nearby.
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00:00After a six-hour trek up into the four kilometre high peaks of northern Kyrgyzstan,
00:06glaciologist Galbara Omorova uses specialised tools
00:10to check the health of the glacier beneath her feet.
00:13The Tian Shan mountain range, which stretches from western China through central Asia,
00:32is home to thousands of ancient glaciers. But in recent years,
00:36researchers like Omorova have watched as climate change rapidly eats away at them.
00:44Omorova says this particular glacier has retreated by almost a kilometre since the
01:121960s, and that it's just one of thousands affected. One report by the Eurasian Development
01:19Bank estimates that up to 30% of glaciers in the mountains of Central Asia have melted away in the
01:24last 60 years, and with 2024 expected to be the hottest year on record, the problem is growing
01:31exponentially. Glacial melting impacts more than just the breathtaking natural scenery
01:38of Central Asia. The massive amounts of water they release can be deadly. Further down the
01:44mountains, scientist Sergei Yurikin explains the risks for those who live close to the glaciers.
02:09Sergei's brother Pavel has been installing devices
02:20that could give residents a few extra moments to escape in the event of a disaster.
02:38Glaciers are important for food and water security in Central Asia,
02:45and as Kyrgyzstan is already one of the poorest countries in the region,
02:49resources are particularly scarce. Researchers like Omorova hope that her government can
02:55introduce laws to help protect the country's glaciers before they come down from the
03:00mountains to their doorstep. Justin Wu and Rhys Ayres for Taiwan Plus.