Climate Change Triggered Deadly Rock Collapse in Nepal
According to a World Weather Attribution report, human-induced global warming increased the likelihood of the Himalayan slope collapse in Nepal.
According to a report published by World Weather Attribution, human-induced global warming thinned glaciers and melted mountain permafrost. This situation triggered the Himalayan slope collapse in Nepal, which led to the deaths of more than 1,300 people.
The Role of Climate Change According to the Report
The analysis prepared by World Weather Attribution revealed that human-induced global warming thinned glaciers and melted mountain permafrost. Experts noted that climate change was not the sole cause, and the major 2015 Nepal earthquake may have also weakened the rocks.
Loss of Life and Damage Caused
As a result of the massive rock and glacier collapse in a region close to the Chinese border, more than 1,300 people lost their lives, and over 5,000 people remain missing. Settlements in the Trishuli River corridor were damaged by the water, ice, and rock flood.
Weakening of the High Mountain Slope
Rising temperatures in high mountains are causing glaciers to retreat and frozen soils to melt. The thawing of frozen grounds disrupts the stability of mountain rock faces, threatening settlements on the valley floor.
Permafrost Thawing and the Freezing Threshold
The warming has pushed the elevation where the ground remains permanently frozen up by about 100 meters per decade. The thawing of frozen soils is among the major factors that weaken the rock face by increasing cracks within the ice.
Melting and Retreat of Glaciers
Glaciers in the region have been losing mass for decades, with a thinning rate of more than half a meter each year. The Langtang Lirung glacier is known to have retreated nearly half a kilometer since the 1990s.
Limits of Adaptation Measures
Although the Nepalese government has developed early warning systems, the scale and speed of the disaster overwhelmed defense mechanisms. Experts emphasize that it is extremely difficult to predict sudden collapses in high mountains in advance.
The Necessity of Halting Fossil Fuels
Scientists warn that the use of fossil fuels, which increase global temperatures, must be rapidly halted in order to minimize the risks.