Flash floods, debris damage roads, pastures at sacred Mount Amnye Machen

Tenzin Nyidon DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 7: Flash floods and extensive debris flows struck Mount Amnye Machen in Machen County, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Amdo (Ch. Qinghai), on the evening of August 5, damaging roads and bridges and burying large stretches of pastureland, following what a source in exile described as a glacier collapse on the mountain. The source in exile who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons told Phayul that the glacier collapse triggered torrents of water, mud, and rock that swept through an uninhabited section of the mountain. No human or livestock casualties have been reported, but the debris flow has covered substantial areas of surrounding pasture under thick layers of mud and debris. The source said the scale of the flooding and debris flow has significantly altered parts of the landscape and warned that unstable terrain could continue to pose risks to pilgrims travelling along the mountain’s traditional circumambulation route. Chinese authorities, however, attributed the damage to heavy rainfall and mudslides. An official notice dated August 25 stated that rural roads and bridges had been damaged and warned of geological hazards and risks to traffic safety. Authorities subsequently prohibited vehicles and pedestrians from entering the affected areas, citing the need to safeguard lives and property. The notice did not mention a glacier collapse. The disaster has also disrupted a major pilgrimage season at Mount Amnye Machen, one of Tibet’s four principal sacred mountains. The mountain holds particular religious significance during the Year of the Horse, when large numbers of Tibetan pilgrims traditionally undertake the circumambulation around its sacred perimeter. Following the flooding, authorities suspended pilgrim travel along the affected routes. Despite indications from local officials that repairs would be completed swiftly, the roads remained closed as of September 6. Many pilgrims have consequently been stranded in the Tamchok Gongkha area of Yaekhok village, waiting for the route to reopen so they can resume and complete their pilgrimage. Warnings circulating on Tibetan social media have urged pilgrims to exercise caution, citing the continuing possibility of avalanches, landslides and other hazards along sections of the circuit. The flooding has also renewed longstanding concerns among local Tibetans over the environmental impact of mining in the Amnye Machen range. According to the exile source, discussions circulating on Tibetan social media have linked the recent glacier collapse and flooding to decades of mining activity around the mountain, although the connection has not been independently established. Local residents have reportedly observed a marked retreat of glaciers in recent years, exposing ground and animal trails that were previously covered by thick layers of ice. The changes have fuelled concerns about the mountain’s increasingly fragile environment and the potential risks facing communities and pilgrims who depend on the surrounding landscape. Mining operations in the Amnye Machen range reportedly began around 1993, with operations transferred to Qinghai West Copper Co., Ltd. in 1997. Over the following decades, intensive mineral extraction, particularly for copper, has drawn repeated criticism from local residents and Tibetan environmental advocates over its alleged impact on the ecology of the sacred mountain range. Concerns have also been raised over alleged pollution of the Guchu River. Local accounts have claimed that untreated industrial wastewater was discharged directly into the river, rendering the water unsuitable for consumption by nomadic communities and contributing to livestock deaths. Residents have repeatedly appealed to local authorities over the alleged environmental damage associated with mining. On August 21, 2017, they reportedly submitted a petition to Chinese central government departments calling for the mining project to be halted. According to local accounts, however, their appeals have not resulted in a substantive halt to mining activities. The latest disaster has consequently intensified concerns over the deteriorating ecological conditions around Mount Amnye Machen, where glacial retreat, extreme weather, mining activity and the seasonal influx of pilgrims converge in a landscape considered sacred by Tibetans.