Nepal pays the price for climate change
Nepal pays the price for climate change newspress_en Wed, 09/02/2026 - 05:18 Science & Technology Kathmandu: The rains had briefly quelled, and beneath a bright mid-morning sky, 43-year-old Subash Tamang was working along the banks of the monsoon-swollen Trishuli River with his family. They were extracting sand, as they had done before, when the river suddenly rose to consume them. Some 72…
Nepal has suffered devastating consequences due to climate change. A flood on August 26, 2026, claimed over 1,000 lives and left nearly 4,000 people missing, including several foreigners. The flood, triggered by a massive glacier collapse in the Himalayas, swept away entire communities within minutes. Subash Tamang, a 43-year-old villager, lost his wife, two brothers, their wives, and his sister in the disaster.
The flood's speed and intensity were comparable to a tsunami, causing significant destruction across three districts in north and central Nepal. Scientists attribute the disaster to a rock-ice avalanche from the Langtang Lirung peak, which sent a wave of water, sediments, and boulders towards downstream settlements. The potential energy from the avalanche was immense, comparable to the atomic bomb that hit Hiroshima.
The ecosystem and landscapes in the Hindu Kush have been rapidly changing due to carbon emissions, making communities less equipped to handle such rapid and catastrophic events.
Written by urgent.news from Al Majalla English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Nepal Pays the Price for Climate Change foreignpolicy.com
