Yesterday, a massive mudslide, caught on video, swept through towns in the Rasuwa and Nuwakot Districts of Nepal. It is believed that a mountain glacial collapse and subsequent flash flooding along the Trishuli River are responsible for the tragedy; at least 1000 persons were killed or are missing.
As the last Continental Ice Sheets of the Pleistocene began to retreat, about 15,000 years ago, Earth's climate has been gradually warming. Eventually, permanent ice cover became limited to the Poles and to the highest mountain ranges on the planet.
Today, as global warming accelerates following the Industrial Revolution, the melting of polar and mountain glaciers has increased dramatically, setting the stage for flash floods, landslides, rising seas, stronger storms and many other challenging consequences. No doubt, tragic events, such as occurred yesterday, will become a major risk for communities near the base of Earth's tallest peaks.
