A 17-year-old Red Cross volunteer in Nepal recounts the experience of surviving floods triggered by a glacier collapse, an event made more likely by climate change.
In Bidur, Nepal, Isha Rimal, a 17-year-old Red Cross volunteer, described how her family was affected by floods that followed a glacier collapse this summer. The event, made more likely by climate change, destroyed many homes and killed some of her friends.
Rimal recounted waking up to her house shaking and receiving a call from her mother urging her to flee to the college where she worked. She found her mother there, who had been informed of the flood and was worried about her children, who were at school. The flood had knocked out two hydropower plants, disrupted phone signals, and left many without electricity, creating chaotic conditions in the aftermath.
Why it matters
The glacier collapse and subsequent floods demonstrate the direct impact of climate change on communities in Nepal.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.
What to watch
The status of missing students and the restoration of communication and power in affected areas.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.