Nepal PM tells UN Himalayan floods are warning to the world

Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah told the UN that catastrophic floods in the Himalayas were a warning of cross-border climate risks after a glacial mountain collapse near the Nepal-China border killed more than 1,400 people and left thousands missing. Scientists described the disaster as a compound crisis involving geological instability exacerbated by glacier retreat and permafrost thaw. Shah said Nepal produces less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions while facing enormous losses, and called for international support for climate adaptation. He proposed a Himalaya Climate Resilience Mechanism with India and China to share data, monitor glacial lakes and improve early-warning systems. Nepal requested $20 million from the UN’s Loss and Damage fund, and preliminary damage estimates reached $5 billion.