How does a collapsing glacier turn into a lethal wall of mud and water? An expert explains what happened in Nepal

A collapsing glacier in Tibet led to a devastating wall of water and debris roaring through a valley in Nepal, leaving hundreds dead and many hundreds still missing.

Stuart Dunning is a professor of applied geomorphology who researches disaster risk reduction in high mountain areas and has closely studied the 2021 Chamoli disaster, a similar event. He’s part of a loose group of 50 or more international experts who come together to pool expertise and provide rapid analysis of events like these.

The Conversation asked him about the science behind this event, and what we can expect in future.