Nepal Landslide Floods Spotlight Himalayan Climate Risks

A massive rock-and-ice collapse in Langtang National Park sent a swift flood through the Lhende Khola, Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, causing nearly 1,000 deaths and thousands missing as rescue efforts are hampered by bad weather and new lakes formed by the slide; while the trigger is still under investigation, analyses point to bedrock collapse beneath a glacier rather than a direct GLOF, and scientists warn that warming in the Himalayas accelerates glacier melt and permafrost degradation, increasing the risks of floods and landslides, underscoring the need for early-warning systems and international monitoring.