Severe Flooding in Nepal Linked to Glacial Collapse

Arjun Poudel, a health reporter in Nepal, was commuting to the offices of the Kathmandu Post in the country’s capital when he received messages about a significant flood in his hometown near the border with China. Through phone calls, he gathered information about the situation, which included devastating news about family members. In an article, he wrote, "My eldest aunt was swept away... and her son... and his wife." He continued, "My other aunt—gone too, they told me. Her grandson Sijan and his wife, caught in the same water. His own son and daughter-in-law, unreachable, unaccounted for. My maternal uncle had gone out that morning to cut grass for the cattle. He never came back." Poudel described extensive destruction: roads and bridges damaged, agricultural fields flooded, food markets destroyed, and entire settlements erased. Many villages were situated dozens of meters above the banks of the Trishuli River, which flows through Poudel’s native Nuwakot District. He noted, "I am 44 years old, and I have never once, in all that time, seen the river come for us." However, on Wednesday, a surge of water, mud, and debris swept through the Trishuli and Bhotekoshi river systems, resulting in at least 538 confirmed deaths as of Friday, with nearly 2,000 people reported missing. Survivors recounted frantic attempts to escape and efforts to locate loved ones in towns "swallowed by silt." Civilian infrastructure was compromised, telecommunications failed, and hundreds of thousands were stranded in a remote area of the country. Relief operations faced delays due to concerns that a newly formed lake upstream could overflow and cause additional flash floods. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey attributed the disaster to a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, which was initially detected as an earthquake. The collapse released a large volume of ice, mud, rock, and water that surged through narrow valleys and waterways. On the Chinese side of the border, the deluge overwhelmed Gyirong Port, a key border crossing with Nepal, which appeared to have been entirely washed away. Satellite images indicated that little remained of the post, vital for trade and tourism. Many of the missing individuals were foreign nationals, primarily Indian pilgrims returning from or preparing to visit Mount Kailash, a significant site for Hindus and Buddhists. In Hindu mythology, Mount Kailash is associated with Lord Shiva, who is said to have saved the earth from drowning by capturing a divine river in his hair. Climate change has exacerbated the risks associated with glacial lakes in the Himalayas, which feed major rivers in Asia. Sumnima Udas, a member of Nepal’s Parliament and chair of its committee on international relations and tourism, stated, "Nepal is paying an extraordinarily disproportionate price for a crisis it did not create. We contribute a negligible share of global emissions, yet we sit downstream of some of the fastest-warming glacial systems on Earth." Udas expressed hope that vulnerable nations like Nepal could gain a more significant role in future global climate policy discussions and that Nepal, India, and China could collaborate to manage shared resources and risks. However, regional tensions and distrust among the three governments pose challenges. Prior to the floods, Brahma Chellaney, an Indian commentator, warned of the strategic advantages China has gained through its control of the Tibetan Plateau, including the construction of dams on transboundary rivers and withholding hydrological data during conflicts. The flooding represents another crisis for a country accustomed to upheaval. Udas is part of a new wave of reform-minded politicians who emerged after a popular uprising last year that led to significant political changes. Nepal has a history of conflict, including a civil war in the early 2000s, which resulted in a transition from a monarchy to a secular republic. Despite this progress, political instability and corruption have persisted, contributing to ongoing social issues and driving many Nepalis to seek work abroad. Nepal's geography has also been unforgiving, with a 2015 earthquake causing nearly 9,000 fatalities and regular floods and landslides. The new government, led by Balendra Shah, a 36-year-old engineer and rapper, aimed to improve governance and attract foreign investment, but the floods are likely to hinder these efforts, necessitating costly reconstruction. Udas remarked, "This disaster sets Nepal back by at least a decade." On Thursday, Anup Kaphle, editorial director of the Kantipur Media Group, noted that his newsrooms have focused all resources on covering the disaster and providing accurate information on emergency relief and river monitoring. Kaphle stated, "A year ago the ground shook because of us—our politics, our anger, our frustration. Yesterday, it was the actual ground again. It’s as if Nepalis are having to alternate between the disasters we cause and the ones that just arrive."