Fossil Fuels Blamed for Nepal Flood That Killed 1,300

New research links last month's glacier disaster on the Nepal-Tibet border to fossil fuel pollution. Scientists say the finding strengthens Nepal's case for international climate aid. The glacier collapse killed at least 1,300 people. More than 5,000 remain missing, including workers trapped in tunnels at damaged hydropower plants. On Wednesday, rescuers recovered four bodies from one tunnel. Searches continue. Nepal's foreign minister, Shisir Khanal, plans to request $20 million from the UN's loss and damage fund. The money would support a rebuilding effort expected to cost around $5 billion, including the replacement of up to 20,000 homes. A new study from Imperial College London, part of the World Weather Attribution project, will support that request. Researchers found that atmospheric heating worsened several factors behind the glacier collapse. Fossil fuel pollution was not the only cause, but it destabilized the mountain's geology, the study concluded. The disaster has faded from global headlines. For Nepal, the crisis is far from over. Families of the missing are still waiting for news.