Icy Floods Engulf Sherpa Village in Nepal’s Everest Region

The Sherpa village of Thame in Nepal’s Everest region has been severely affected by icy floodwaters, believed to have been caused by the bursting of a glacial lake. The village, situated at an altitude of approximately 3,800 meters, has seen over a dozen buildings, including homes, a school, and a health clinic, completely destroyed by the flood that struck on Friday.

No casualties have been reported, but the destruction has left the community, known for its record-holding Sherpa mountaineers, in a state of shock. Thame is also the birthplace of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who, along with Sir Edmund Hillary, was the first to conquer Mount Everest.

Local authorities have faced challenges in assessing the situation due to bad weather, which has grounded helicopters. They plan to conduct a thorough investigation by air on Saturday, weather permitting.

Arun Bhakta Shrestha, a climate change expert from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), suggested that the flood may have been caused by a glacial lake outburst, a phenomenon increasingly common due to climate change. As Himalayan glaciers melt at an alarming rate, they form unstable glacial lakes, often dammed by loose rock and debris, which can suddenly burst, causing devastating floods.

The incident underscores the growing impact of climate change on the Himalayan region, where the rapid melting of glaciers poses a significant threat to local communities.