Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4065
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4065
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
12 Aug 2026
| 12 Aug 2026
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Brief communication: Repeated supraglacial lake drainage from the Purepu Glacier system, central Himalaya
Abstract. We report repeated drainage from the Purepu supraglacial lake system in the central Himalaya using high-resolution satellite imagery. A satellite-inferred 2023 drainage event is constrained to 12–15 July, whereas a reported GLOF occurred early on 8 July 2025. Both followed lake expansion to ~0.70–0.72 km², but DEM-constrained lake-volume loss increased from 0.87 × 10⁶ m³ in 2023 to 3.55 × 10⁶ m³ in 2025. The 2025 event remained incomplete, and flood-volume reconstruction suggests additional englacial or subglacial contributions cannot be excluded. Residual water persisted into 2026, supporting high-frequency monitoring in early July 2026.
How to cite. Xu, Q., Kang, S., Du, W., Wu, W., Hu, Z., He, X., Cao, B., and Xie, B.: Brief communication: Repeated supraglacial lake drainage from the Purepu Glacier system, central Himalaya, EGUsphere [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4065, 2026.
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Qiangqiang Xu
State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Qilian Mountains Field Research Station for Interactions among Cryosphere and Multi-spheres, China Meteorological Administration. Lanzhou 730000, China
Shichang Kang
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Engineering Resilience, Institute of Mountain Hazard and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
Wentao Du
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Qilian Mountains Field Research Station for Interactions among Cryosphere and Multi-spheres, China Meteorological Administration. Lanzhou 730000, China
Wei Wu
Department of Disaster Assessment, National Disaster Reduction Centre of China, Ministry of Emergency Management, Beijing 100124, China
Zhaofu Hu
State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Qilian Mountains Field Research Station for Interactions among Cryosphere and Multi-spheres, China Meteorological Administration. Lanzhou 730000, China
Xiaobo He
Tanggula Mountain Cryosphere and Environment Observation and Research Station of Tibet Autonomous Region, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Bo Cao
Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (MOE), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Gansu Shiyang River Basin Scientific Observing Station, Lanzhou 730000, China
Biwen Xie
Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (MOE), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Short summary
Using frequent high-resolution satellite images, we reconstructed repeated drainage from lakes on the surface of Purepu Glacier in 2023 and 2025. The lakes reached similar sizes before drainage, but the 2025 event released much more water and left substantial residual water into 2026. The results show that lake area alone cannot describe drainage hazard and support intensive monitoring during early to mid-July 2026.
Using frequent high-resolution satellite images, we reconstructed repeated drainage from lakes...