Climate change likely to have helped trigger Nepal glacier collapse, scientists say

Scientists believe climate change likely played a role in the catastrophic glacier collapse in Nepal and Tibet, which resulted in flooding and the deaths of approximately 1,400 people in late August. Rapidly warming temperatures in the region have caused glaciers to thin and melt, including ice and permafrost buried in the Himalayan bedrock.

According to the World Weather Attribution group, mean temperatures were around 5°C higher than normal in August, with 1.5°C of the increase attributed to human-induced climate change. Unusually high snowfall in October and November added to the volume of meltwater, which could have contributed to the glacier collapse. The study also suggests that melting permafrost weakened the rock wall, while a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015 may have further weakened the underlying bedrock, although its exact impact is unclear.