The recent floods in Nepal have exposed the growing vulnerability of Himalayan communities and the widening gap between the scale of climate losses and international support.
The devastating Himalayan disaster of August 26, 2026, has left Nepal facing enormous reconstruction costs. The critical question for the global community then is – will – climate finance be treated as a matter of justice, instead of charity.
The high-altitude glacier collapse in the northern part of Langtang/Lirung Mountain caused a rock Himalayan tsunami that killed more than 1,451 people as of September 19, 2026, left 5,786 missing and affected about 1.6 million people in five districts of Nepal, according to the government’s situation report.
The government has rescued 13,784 people and mobilised security forces for rescue operations. It assessed damage to 41 motorable bridges, 3,702 private houses, roads and 12 hydropower projects.
The recently released Rapid Damage and Need Assessment (RDNA) estimates total damage and losses at more than US $2.66 billion . About US $4.72 billion is required for reconstruction and rehabilitation, while US $5.7 million is needed for immediate relief and short-term rehabilitation over the next six months.
The flood damaged 7,570 private houses, 48 public buildings, 18 schools, seven health facilities and 30 cultural heritage sites. About $685 million will be required to rehabilitate the social sector.
But the cost of physical damage does not capture the full social impact. Children, women and senior citizens have suffered severe psychosocial impact, while marginalised communities have become further marginalised. These “costs” have been undermined or overlooked in the assessment report.
Scientists working with World Weather Attribution (WWA) described the disaster as a “catastrophic rock-ice avalanche that transitioned into a debris flood in the Himalayas along the Nepal-China border”. They said climate change and rising temperatures in the Himalayan region contributed significantly to the disaster. Floods in the Himalayan region have become more frequent and more devastating in recent years.
The Government of Nepal has written to the Loss and Damage Fund, seeking reparation for the impacts of climate change and calling on polluters to provide compensation and justice. The Loss and Damage Fund said Nepal should provide sufficient evidence about the causes of the flood. Its board will consider providing up to US $20 million in compensation.
Compared with the estimated losses, the proposed support is small. The World Bank has also offered concessional loans to Nepal. Members of the civil society and youth are demanding grants as reparation rather than loans.They have been demanding climate justice, focusing on the causes of glacier melt in the Himalayas, known as the “Third Pole” and a source of water for large numbers of people in the region.
Campaigners argue that the climate crisis is a fundamental human rights issue linked to the right to life and a sustainable environment. They are also calling for climate finance to be treated as justice rather than charity and for a regional framework across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region to share information, establish early-warning systems and develop institutional mechanisms.
Ten young people began a hunger strike on September 18, 2026, at the base camp of Mount Manaslu. They are demanding assessments of future glacial lake outburst flood risks, regular joint monitoring of lakes along the China-Nepal border, and climate compensation and justice for Nepal, which has to bear the costs of climate-related impacts to which it has not contributed.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah is due to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he will raise the issue of climate crisis impacting Nepal. It is an opportunity for Nepal to present the context and causes of the recent disaster internationally. Foreign Minister Sisir Khanal has already left for the UNGA and is due to attend side events in New York. He is also expected to appeal for international support to overcome the crisis.
Civil society and the public have raised concerns about delays in rescuing people trapped in a hydropower tunnel, saying the government did not allow international experts to assist during the early phase of the rescue. They have also raised concerns about delays in search operations.
Nepal will need to amplify its demands for climate justice, including through the Loss and Damage Fund, while ensuring accountability and transparency in the use of funds. The federal government’s initial hesitation to collaborate with local governments also created tensions between federal and provincial governments.
The internally displaced are being housed in 27 holding centres in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, where 1,743 people are living. The government has offered US $98 (NPR 15,000) per family member to stay outside the holding centres for four months.
The disaster gives Nepal an opportunity to raise concerns about climate change at the global and regional levels. Communities living in river basins and near glacier lakes remain at high risk. Nepal should seek timely information-sharing from the international community to reduce those risks, while international partners can provide technology for faster warnings.
Existing early-warning technology and knowledge may not be sufficient to predict disasters of this kind. Investment is, therefore, needed not only for recovery but also for research and knowledge exchange. Digital technology and empowered communities could help reduce vulnerabilities.
Nepal also needs people-centred development to cope with such disasters, including the exchange of knowledge on infrastructure capable of withstanding harsh Himalayan conditions. Nepal, China and India need to minimise human activities that directly or indirectly affect the ecology and environment of the Himalayas.
Community-led initiatives, respect for indigenous knowledge and participation in development could help sustain the region’s ecology and reduce degradation.
Small states such as Nepal need global support to rebuild after large-scale disasters. The Government of Nepal also needs to prioritise community rebuilding in future interventions rather than focusing on the business community.
Som Niroula is a research scholar at the Department of Conflict, Peace and Development, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He is also a member of the CRG Research Collective, Calcutta, and was a Junior Fellow at Institut für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen, Vienna.
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info™.
