Nepal floods leave citizens missing and raise climate concerns

Nepal is facing a humanitarian and environmental crisis following severe flooding and landslides. The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that two Portuguese siblings, previously reported missing, have been found safe. However, three other Portuguese citizens remain missing in the country.

The environmental cause of the recent disasters is linked to climate change and the warming of the Himalayan range. Scientists note that the melting of permafrost—which acts as a ‘glue’ for rocks and glaciers—is destabilizing the landscape. This degradation increases the risk of glacial collapses and landslides, such as the recent event on the north face of Langtang Lirung, where millions of tons of rock and ice transformed into mud and water torrents.