When a mountain falls: How ice and rock triggered Nepal’s catastrophic flood – and why climate change is raising the risks

A geologist explains how thawing permafrost and melting ice are increasing the risk of destructive floods in the Himalayas and other high mountain regions around the world.

By: Umesh Haritashya, University of Dayton, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 29, 2026

Words: 1,562

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

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By Umesh Haritashya, University of Dayton

The catastrophic flood that killed hundreds of people in Nepal on Aug. 26, 2026, and left many more missing likely began with falling ice and rock crashing into the river below, but that wasn’t the end of the disaster. Days later, a new lake pooled behind the debris and then burst, sending more water streaming through the valley.

The destruction represents two of the ways rising temperatures, thawing …

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