by Atharava Pandey
Editor-in-Chief

On Aug. 26, a glacial collapse near Langtang National Park along the China-Nepal border triggered devastating flash floods throughout Nepal. The glacier released a 193-kilometer-per-hour surge of ice, rock, water, and debris, resulting in destruction equivalent to a 5.2 magnitude earthquake. Scientists have attributed this disaster to climate change, as rising global temperatures have accelerated glacial melting and destabilized regions such as the Himalayas. For Nepal, one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, the floods unfortunately showed how climate change can lead to a humanitarian crisis. According to Daniel Shugar, a geologist at the University of Calgary, it was “just a gobsmackingly unbelievable amount of water. Figuring out where that water came from is actually probably the hardest thing about all this.”

The disaster began in the morning when an enormous chunk of glacier, approximately 2,000 feet wide, sheared off and fell nearly 7,000 feet from the heights of the Himalayas. The sheer force of the fall melted the ice, resulting in a massive amount of water sweeping down the narrow mountain valleys, leaving a trail of destruction behind it. Scientists also believe that a landslide may have occurred at the same time, which tore down the mountainside and went straight into the Lhende Khola River, which flows from China into Nepal. 

The damage that these floods have caused has been devastating for the country of Nepal. Authorities say that at least 1,386 bodies have been recovered in five affected districts, while more than 5,130 people are still missing. The scale of damage was most shocking in the upper river basins, as villages were wiped out in mere minutes. In Uttargaya alone, at least 618 houses were swept away and 877 people remain missing.

As a result of this incident, Nepal faces a severe financial burden. An estimation puts the total reconstruction requirement at about 723.3 billion Nepalese rupees, which is about 4.78 billion US dollars. Nearly two thirds of these funds will go into restoring energy and transport networks and academic facilities. On Sept. 12, India, Nepal’s neighbour, approved the export of power to Nepal until Dec. 31, which should help temporarily support the country. 

Since the disaster, Nepal has formally approached the United Nations (U.N.) for assistance, yet they have not begun distributing resources. Beyond financing its recovery, Nepal is also calling for change on the international stage. Nepal argues that despite them contributing only 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, they remain at a high risk to climate-induced hazards. According to Manjeet Dhakal, director of Climate Analytics South Asia, more advanced countries should take initiative, asking, “How many more disasters should we wait for before there is a global response to address the impacts of climate change?”

(Sources: CNN, DW News)