Glacial lake outburst flood(GLOF)

✅Glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is a phrase used to describe a sudden release of a significant amount of water retained in a glacial lake, irrespective of the cause.

✅GLOFs are characterized by extreme peak discharges, often several times in excess of the maximum discharges of hydrometeorological induced floods, with an exceptional erosion/transport potential; therefore, they can turn into flow-type movements, e.g. GLOF-induced debris flows. 

✅The following direct causes of glacial lake outburst floods were documented:

✅Rapid slope movement into the lake

✅Heavy rainfall/snowmelt

✅Cascading processes (flood from a lake situated upstream)

✅Earthquake

✅Melting of ice incorporated in dam/forming the dam (including volcanic activity-triggered jökulhlaups)

✅Blocking of subsurface outflow tunnels (applies only to lakes without surface outflow or lakes with a combination of surface and subsurface outflow)

✅Long-term dam degradation.

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