Climate change behind deadly Himalaya floods, expert says

Death tolls continue to rise after violent floods hit Nepal and Tibet. More than a thousand people are still missing, including a Swedish national. The cause was a collapsing glacier. According to one expert, all three possible reasons for the collapse point to global warming. “Absolutely,” says Mats Eriksson, department head at the Swedish Geotechnical Institute. The glacier collapse triggered massive floods that swept through mountain valleys. Rescue teams are still searching for survivors, but conditions remain difficult. The missing include foreign tourists and local residents. Eriksson explains that a glacier can break apart for several reasons. These include melting water weakening the ice, sudden temperature shifts, or heavy rainfall on unstable snow. In this case, all three scenarios are linked to a warmer climate. Scientists have long warned that high-altitude regions are especially vulnerable to climate change. As temperatures rise, glaciers shrink and become less stable. This can lead to sudden and catastrophic events like the one in the Himalayas. Authorities in Nepal and Tibet have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the collapse. But Eriksson is clear: “The connection to global warming is strong.”