On Aug. 19, 2026, a partial collapse of a massive glacier on the north face of the mountain Langtang Lirung, in northern Nepal, sent thousands of tons of water, mud, stone and other debris hurtling into the heart of the country. The following Monday authorities confirmed that the death toll had reached over 900 people with around 4,400 still missing. Critical infrastructure, including hydropower, was seriously damaged, disrupting almost 10 per cent of Nepal’s national energy supply. Whole communities, roadways, government and emergency services, have also been completely destroyed.
So far, Nepal’s government has mobilized and rescued over 10,000 people, with rescue operatives working to try to save those still trapped. Glaciers themselves are an important source of drinking water, and the collapse of the one on Langtang Lirung signals even more problems for those trying to recover.
Many experts attributed the disaster to gradual increasing temperatures causing glaciers to break down and collapse. While the mountains in Nepal exhibit this behaviour naturally, rising global temperatures due to human emissions likely contributed to this process. Global warming has also caused permafrost to begin to melt, which helps hold the Himalayas together, thus increasing the likelihood of further and more intense disaster.
