Climate change has been identified as the main cause of the devastating flood in Nepal that occurred on August 26. In this catastrophic incident, a large portion of ice and rock from the Langtang Lirung mountain collapsed, leading to a massive flood of water, ice, and debris that claimed the lives of over 1300 people. Additionally, more than 5000 people are still missing.
Factors Contributing to the Crisis
Experts from the Global Climate Analysis Center have identified climate change as a key factor in the melting of glaciers and the freezing of land in Nepal. These changes, which have occurred due to atmospheric warming, have directly impacted glaciers and frozen lands at high altitudes, leading to the weakening of mountain slopes.
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Professor Friedrich Otto, a climate science professor at Imperial College London, warned that without immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, similar disasters should be expected in the coming years. He added, "We must rapidly move towards zero emissions from fossil fuels to prevent such disasters from occurring."
Impacts of Global Warming
Research shows that the high temperatures in the region during July and August, which are the hottest recorded temperatures, have exacerbated this disaster. Heavy snowfall in October and November of last year also added a significant amount of water to the region in the months leading up to the flood.
Professor Walter Immerzeel, a mountain hydrologist at Utrecht University, stated: "We are witnessing fundamental and irreversible changes in the Himalayan mountain environments. Global warming caused by fossil fuels is raising the freezing line and making melting conditions longer and warmer."
However, even if preventive measures are taken now, experts warn that we may witness similar events in the near future. This is because the effects of past warming on glaciers and frozen lands at high altitudes will take years to manifest.
Manjeet Dhokal, climate analysis director for South Asia, added: "Addressing this disaster tests Nepal's response capacities and its adaptation limits. Every tenth of a degree of heat matters, and science must act quickly to accelerate global emissions reduction. This requires more investment to understand the complex mountain risks and to strengthen monitoring and early warning systems."
