'Dam burst danger; modelling the collapse of a natural dam in the mountains - and the disaster that might follow'.
When glaciers in high mountain regions melt they often leave behind deep lakes. The lake waters are held back by natural dams, formed by piles of rocks, sand and clay dumped by the melting glacier. This debris is called moraine. Moraines often contain large hidden blocks of ice among the debris. These can take years to melt, and when they do, the natural dam may break suddenly, releasing a flood of lake water, which rushes down the mountainside, sweeping all before it.
This is one of many activities in our Natural Hazards category of Earthlearningidea