Franz Josef's Flood Risk Threatens Tourism Economy

Researchers at the University of Canterbury have identified the Callery River at Franz Josef in New Zealand as the country's highest-risk catchment for a landslide-dam flood event.

The study, which drew a comparison with the recent catastrophic flood on the Nepal-Tibet border, estimated that 570 permanent residents and over 3,000 tourists could be affected by such an event.

However, unlike the Nepal disaster, the risk in Franz Josef is not due to a glacier collapse but rather a potential rupture of the Alpine Fault.

The hazard structure is the same, with a sudden release of water causing widespread damage and loss of life.

The scientists have called for a systematic assessment of which mountain areas are becoming more prone to cascading hazards as warming weakens high-altitude slopes.