Scientists say a flash flood in Nepal on Wednesday was likely caused by a large chunk of a glacier breaking off.

The ice may have temporarily dammed a river, and the backed-up water could have surged downstream with enormous force.

The flood killed at least 353 people and left more than 1,300 missing.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 5.2 glacier collapse based on seismic data and satellite imagery.

Jakob Steiner, a geoscientist at the University of Graz, said the lower part of a glacier fell off.

He added that the falling ice may have felt like a bomb exploding.

Researchers said it is too early to link the disaster directly to global warming.

However, they noted that rising temperatures increase the chances of such events.

This is especially true in the Himalayas, which are warming faster than many other regions.

Water levels in affected rivers rose by up to 9 meters in 30 minutes.

The Hindu Kush Himalaya contains the largest volume of snow and ice outside the polar regions.

About 78% of its glacier area is highly exposed to warming.

Scientists say melting glaciers can enlarge glacial lakes and weaken mountain slopes.

This raises the risk of sudden floods and cascading hazards.

Steiner said the area has a history of destructive mountain events, including floods and avalanches.

He warned that what happened is "the new normal" and that risks will grow.

Experts call for stronger early warning systems and faster information sharing.

However, they say monitoring thousands of glaciers is extremely difficult.

In some cases, there may be only minutes to act.