Human-Induced Climate Change Intensifies Flooding Disasters in Nepal, Report Finds

The recent report by World Weather Attribution highlights the urgent need for Nepal to restrict development in low-lying, riverside areas. The organisation stresses the importance of enhancing early warning systems and taking swift action to prevent future flooding disasters. "Climate change was responsible for the extreme three-day downpours in Nepal about 10 percent more intense," concluded the organisation in its recently published report.

Impact of Climate Change on Rainfall

The heavy rain in late September led to devastating floods and landslides in Nepal, resulting in at least 244 fatalities. The report notes that human-induced climate change intensified the rainfall by 10 percent. "Bursts of rainfall will become even more heavier, risking more destructive floods until the world replaces fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy," warned the organisation.

Consequences of Recent Floods

The Kathmandu Valley experienced unprecedented flooding, causing over 50 deaths and damaging property worth billions of rupees. Eyewitnesses confirmed that such flooding had never been seen before in the area. "If the atmosphere wasn’t overloaded with fossil fuel emissions, these floods would have been less intense, less destructive and less deadly," remarked Mariam Zachariah, a researcher at Imperial College London.

Global Perspective on Climate Change

The study involved 20 researchers from various countries, including Nepal, India, Sweden, the US, and the UK. It is part of a broader effort to understand climate change's impact on extreme weather events. "This study highlights how vulnerable Asia is to increasing downpours – in 2024 alone, our studies have uncovered the fingerprint of climate change on deadly floods in India, China, Taiwan, the UAE, Oman, and now Nepal," she pointed out.

Record-Breaking Rainfall

From September 26 onwards, Nepal experienced three days of extreme rainfall. Some weather stations recorded over 320mm on September 28, nearly half of London's annual rainfall. "These floods turned the streets of Kathmandu into raging rivers," said Roshan Jha from IIT Bombay. "Clearly, climate change is no longer a distant threat in Asia."

Limiting urban development in flood-prone areas is crucial for protecting lives during future floods. The report emphasises that reducing such development will help safeguard people from similar disasters. As climate change continues to affect weather patterns globally, proactive measures are essential to mitigate its impacts on vulnerable regions like Nepal.