Archive · 1 Sep 2026
Nepal PM Urges Climate Action After Himalayan Flood Disaster
Nepal experienced a very large flood in the Himalayan region.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah said it was not a normal flood.
He said an avalanche of snow and ice may have triggered it.
Scientists have warned that warmer temperatures are melting Himalayan glaciers faster.
This can make floods and other disasters more dangerous.
The report says more than 900 people have died and nearly 4,000 are missing.
Floodwater reportedly rose as high as 100 feet.
Rescue teams are looking for survivors and missing people.
Nepal’s prime minister wants other countries to act more quickly on climate change.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah called flooding in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River a major disaster, not an ordinary flood.
Shah said the disaster was triggered by an avalanche of snow and ice in the Himalayan region, although its exact cause remains unclear.
Experts warn that rising temperatures are accelerating Himalayan glacier melt and increasing disaster risks.
Floodwaters reportedly reached as high as 100 feet, with more than 900 people dead and nearly 4,000 missing.
Rescue teams are searching for survivors, while workers were reported trapped in tunnels.
- Who
- Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah, experts, United Nations officials, rescue teams, and people affected by the floods.
- What
- A major flood in the Bhote Koshi River area, described as potentially linked to an avalanche and climate-related Himalayan changes.
- When
- The flooding occurred last week; Shah issued his statement on Monday. The report also refers to conditions in 2026.
- Where
- The Rasuwa district and Himalayan region of Nepal, with related scenes reported from Tibet.
- Why
- The exact cause is not confirmed, but climate change and rising temperatures are believed to be increasing the risk of such disasters.
Climate Change as a Major Factor
Cause Still Unconfirmed
Explanation for the disaster
Climate Change as a Major Factor
Prime Minister Balendra Shah and experts say rising temperatures and faster glacier melt are increasing risks in the Himalayas, while Shah described the event as triggered by an avalanche of snow and ice.
Cause Still Unconfirmed
The report says the exact cause of the flooding is still unclear, so a definitive link to climate change has not been established.
International response
Climate Change as a Major Factor
Shah says Nepal should strongly raise climate-related disasters with the international community and urges urgent action against climate change.
Cause Still Unconfirmed
The available report does not establish which specific countries, policies, or measures should be responsible for addressing the disaster.
- Affected river
- Bhote Koshi River
- Reported location
- Rasuwa, Nepal
- Reported deaths
- More than 900
- Reported missing
- Nearly 4,000 people
- Floodwater height
- As high as 100 feet
- Possible trigger
- An avalanche of snow and ice
- Climate concern
- Rapidly melting Himalayan glaciers and rising disaster risks