The Latest Breaking News from ICIMOD

Climate disasters are growing. So are cuts to programs that prepare for them

Millions of people face deadly climate-related disasters as international aid programs are slashed

The Independent UK · Sep 23

Nepal’s flood disaster is bigger than the climate blame game

Nepal seeks climate justice and compensation from industrial emitters for a recent disaster. Scientific analysis suggests the event was primarily a geological hazard, not solely climate change. The article highlights inadequate infrastructure and hazard assessments contributing to the disaster's impact. Nepal's naming of China, the US, and India as emitters…

The Economic Times · Sep 3

Glacier collapse at 8.37am, alert at 9.15: Why Nepal sent disaster warning 38 minutes late

Nepal’s warning system came under scrutiny after a glacier collapse triggered devastating flash floods in Rasuwa on August 26, with authorities issuing a disaster alert 38 minutes after the ice-rock avalanche. The deadly floods have killed thousands and several remain missing.

The Times of India · Sep 2

Nepal floods: How two reports warned of this disaster months ago

Recent floods in Nepal and Tibet followed ICIMOD's warnings about melting glaciers. These reports highlighted doubled ice loss rates and increased flood risks across the region. A catastrophic flash flood triggered by a glacier collapse killed hundreds and left many missing. Smaller glaciers are shrinking faster, intensifying hazards like glacial…

The Times of India · Aug 28

Nepal faces secondary flash flood threat as debris forms dam: ICIMOD cryosphere specialist

Nepal faces secondary flash flood risks as debris forms a temporary dam. Over 470 people have died and nearly 1,000 are missing from recent floods. Researchers are investigating an ice-rock avalanche as the initial disaster cause. A similar event in Chamoli, India, saw a gradual lake breach without a major…

The Economic Times · Aug 28

Nepal’s flood alert came 16 minutes late. It was too late for some, but saved others

Nepal received information about the deadly flood around 16 minutes after it crossed the Tibet border, by which time it had already reached settlements in upper Rasuwa. Officials say earlier cross-border information could have reduced casualties, though subsequent alerts helped evacuate some downstream communities.

The Economic Times · Aug 28

Rock-ice avalanches: The silent Himalayan killer behind Nepal's deadly flood

Recent floods in Nepal's Rasuwa district highlight rock-ice avalanches. These events, which can trigger destructive downstream floods, are becoming more frequent. Scientists are investigating a recent rock-ice avalanche as the cause of the August 26 flood. Similar incidents, like the 2021 Chamoli disaster, have caused significant loss of life. Climate…

The Economic Times · Aug 28

Nepal’s deadly glacier collapse exposes climate risks across the Himalayas

A massive glacier collapse that triggered deadly flooding on the Nepal-Tibet border has exposed the growing dangers facing the rapidly warming Himalayas, where scientists say retreating ice and thawing ground are making mountain landscapes increasingly unstable.

Radio France Internationale · Aug 27

Helicopter Pilot Aman Budathoki Reports 'Extremely Frightening' 6-Metre Waves Sweeping Through Nepal

Helicopter pilot Aman Budathoki reports 'extremely frightening' six metre waves as flash floods rip through northern Nepal, prompting urgent probes into glaciers, earthquakes and climate risks.

International Business Times UK · Aug 26

Ice-rock avalanche likely triggered Bhotekoshi flood; quake link under probe

An ice-rock avalanche from a glacier that blocked Lhende Khola river -- a tributary of Bhotekoshi — and later released a sudden surge emerged as the most likely cause of the flash flood, while scientists investigated whether a 4.4 magnitude earthquake minutes earlier destabilised the high-altitude terrain and triggered the…

The Times of India · Aug 26