Theguardian iconTheguardianSep 4, 2026 ~1 min source read

What we know about the link between Nepal’s flash floods and our climate crisis

The full scale of the disaster is still emerging, but as rescue efforts continue, scientists warn that a warming Himalayas could mean more deadly hazards • Don't get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Horrifying images and videos soon emerged of a torrent of mud, water and debris that swept down the Lhende Khola valley at speeds approaching 150km/h.

What we know about the link between Nepal’s flash floods and our climate crisis

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The full scale of the disaster is still emerging, but as rescue efforts continue, scientists warn that a warming Himalayas could mean more deadly hazards • Don't get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox?

Horrifying images and videos soon emerged of a torrent of mud, water and debris that swept down the Lhende Khola valley at speeds approaching 150km/h.

Flowing down the Lhende Khola, Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers that run between Tibet and Nepal, the flood water swept away homes, roads, bridges and power plants.

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The full scale of the disaster is still emerging, but as rescue efforts continue, scientists warn that a warming Himalayas could mean more deadly hazards • Don't get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Horrifying images and videos soon emerged of a torrent of mud, water and debris that swept down the Lhende Khola valley at speeds approaching 150km/h. Flowing down the Lhende Khola, Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers that run between Tibet and Nepal, the flood water swept away homes, roads, bridges and power plants.

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  • Along the Trishuli, water levels rose by as much as nine metres in half an hour.
  • As of the time of writing, the death toll of the disaster approached 1,000 people, with more than 4,400 on both sides of the border missing.

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