Deadly Flood After Glacier Burst: “The Entire Himalayas Are Melting”

A glacier unleashed a deadly flood in Nepal earlier this week, killing multiple people and destroying homes. For local trekking guides and climbers, the disaster confirms what they have witnessed for years: the mountains are changing at a terrifying speed. The flood struck suddenly, sending a wall of water and debris down a valley. Rescue teams are still searching for the missing. However, for those who live and work in the high altitudes, the warning signs have been clear for a long time. Guides report that routes once frozen solid are now unstable. Ice that held for centuries is retreating. Many now fear that the Himalayas, which supply water to over a billion people, are melting at an unprecedented rate. “This is not a single event,” one local expert said. “The entire system is breaking down.” Scientists agree that rising global temperatures are causing glaciers to retreat, creating unstable lakes that can burst without warning. The flood is a deadly reminder that the impact of climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is happening now, on the world’s highest peaks, and the people who know those mountains best are watching them disappear.