“Glaciers Weep at Our Reckless Consumerism”, MyIndMakers, 2 Sep 2026.
“The catastrophic flash flood in Nepal left behind unimaginable destruction. Words can barely express the devastation — entire villages were wiped out, many families torn apart, and lives lost in a matter of hours. Hundreds were displaced, and many are still missing, while relief teams race to reach remote villages. Those who survived now carry the immense burden of trauma. Thank heavens, the flood struck in the morning, when people were able to flee! Had it occurred in the dead of night, when entire communities were asleep, the death toll could have run into lakhs.
The tragedy is believed to have been triggered by an avalanche of ice and rock high in the Himalayas. Although such events are not unknown in the mountainous region, scientists warn that a warming climate can increase the instability of glaciers and mountain slopes. Rising temperatures can weaken glaciers and thaw the permafrost that helps hold rocks and soil together. In other words, the mountains are fast losing their grip, and when they let go, the damage is massive! Experts call some of these events glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs), where a lake formed by melting ice suddenly bursts its banks. It is highly alarming that Himalayan glaciers melted about 65% faster in the 2010s than in the preceding decade.
Well, when a large mass of ice and rock collapses into a river, it usually obstructs the flow of water, creating a temporary dam. If that fragile barrier suddenly breaks, the accumulated water can surge downstream with tremendous force, sweeping away homes, roads, bridges and everything else in its path. That’s exactly what seems to have happened in Nepal — nature built a dam, then tore it down in one violent sweep. Now what makes the situation even more worrying is China’s aggressive push for dam construction and various large infrastructure projects in Tibet. This “Dragon’s misadventure” could easily become a recipe for disaster in the near future, affecting Nepal, India, and Bangladesh without warning………………….”
Read the full article at MyIndMakers.
