Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah attributed the large-scale flash floods that occurred in the country last week to climate change. He called on the international community to take active measures.
A massive wave of icy water and debris, caused by a glacier collapse on the border of China and Nepal, resulted in the deaths of at least 939 people, with about 4,500 remaining missing. Kathmandu warned that recovery costs could amount to 'billions of dollars.'
Balendra Shah stated on social media this week that the flooding in the Bhote Koshi river in Rasuwa was not a normal occurrence. He emphasized that it was one of the major regional disasters triggered by a snow and ice avalanche in the Himalayan region.
Although the exact cause of the collapse remains unclear, scientists note that global temperature rise is leading to the melting of glaciers worldwide, increasing the probability of such disasters. Experts point out that the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain range, are melting at an accelerated rate.
Shah added that this incident demonstrates the growing risks in the Himalayan region alongside climate change, and therefore this territory must remain vigilant. Nepal, a predominantly rural country with a population of 30 million, contributes minimally to the emissions causing global warming, which is generated by rich and industrialized nations, yet suffers from the consequences of this process.
The Prime Minister insists on the need to advocate for Nepal's interests on the international stage, stating that it is time to decisively raise the issue of climate change-induced disasters before the global community.
Glaciers in the broader Himalayan and Hindu Kush systems are a vital water source for approximately 240 million residents of mountainous areas, as well as for another 1.65 billion people in the valleys of South and Southeast Asia rivers.
In 2023, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, during a visit to Nepal, warned about the problems facing the Himalayan regions due to rapid glacial melt, noting that 'the roofs of the world are collapsing.' After the disaster, UN Climate Department head Simon Steele called it a 'devastating reminder of the fragility of these mountain environments.' Nepal's economy is already under pressure, having limited resources to respond to a disaster of this magnitude.