My Reflections on the Nepal Floods

When I first saw the news about the Nepal floods, I just thought that it was a natural disaster. In the past when I saw news of flooding or landslides in other countries, I usually thought that they were problems within those countries. But after reading the articles by NPR and The Japan Times, I realize that the disaster in Nepal is different. The floods that started with the collapse of glaciers swept not only Nepal but also the regions of China and Tibet. I realized that nature does not move according to boundaries determined by people. So the recent floods in Nepal made me see that global warming is not just one country’s environmental issue but a problem potentially linked to all neighboring countries.

What was most surprising to me from the NPR article by Ava Berger, Diaa Hadid, and Julia Simon was that global warming is making the glaciers of the Himalayas more and more unstable. Rising temperatures are quickly melting glaciers, and the permafrost - ground that has remained frozen- is also weakening. The recent flood in Nepal was reportedly caused by a massive glacier collapsing, which sent a torrent of ice, rock, and mud down the valley with water. I had associated global warming with heatwaves or the rise of sea levels. I knew that snow and glaciers were melting, but I didn’t think that they could lead to such large scale floods. What’s even more concerning is that experts warn that these disasters will occur more often if the temperature continues to rise.

The Japan Times article titled, “Before flood catastrophe, Nepal asked China for early warnings as risks mounted,” explores how Nepal and China have prepared for such disasters. About three months before the disastrous flooding in Nepal, the two countries were discussing flood, weather, glaciers, and the potential dangers around them. They were also discussing collaborative approaches, such as surveying glacial lakes and mapping hazardous areas. China had shared information to Nepal about heavy rains, but Nepal had wanted more information, such as the movement of glaciers or the levels of the river. But this doesn’t mean that the floods were caused by a lack of exchange of information. According to the article, knowing about glacier collapses beforehand is very difficult. The danger zones are located up in the mountains, where snow, ice, and steep terrain limit the effectiveness of satellites and observation equipment. Reading this, I realized that while climate change is increasing environmental risks, the technologies and collaborative approaches needed to detect and prepare for them still require further development.

If similar disasters occur more frequently in the future, just focusing on post-disaster recovery will likely be insufficient. The NPR article notes that although Nepal has invested in flood warning systems over the past few years, the existing infrastructure had limitations in responding to a disaster of this magnitude. Therefore, I think two approaches to preparedness are essential. First, monitoring equipment and early warning systems in high-risk areas must be maintained more reliably within countries like Nepal. Second, in cases where changes in one country—such as glaciers or rivers in border regions—can impact another, neighboring nations need to share relevant information more frequently. While it may be impossible to precisely predict every disaster, gaining even a little advance notice would provide people with more time to evacuate or prepare.

“If natural disasters do not stop at national borders, our preparations and responses should not be confined within them either.”

Watching the recent floods in Nepal made me realize that responding to climate change means more than just reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Of course, slowing the pace of climate change itself is important. But we must also consider how to prepare for the changes already underway. Particularly in regions like the Himalayas, where the natural environment spans across multiple nations, it will be crucial for countries to share information and assess risks together rather than focusing solely on their own territories. In my opinion, the most practical approach would be to strengthen existing national warning systems while at the same time sharing regular updates on glaciers and rivers in border areas. If natural disasters do not stop at national borders, our preparations and responses should not be confined within them either.

Works Cited

• Berger, Ava, Diaa Hadid, and Julia Simon. “A Melting Glacier Contributed to the Deadly Nepal Floods. We Can Expect More Like This.” NPR, 28 Aug. 2026.

• European Space Agency. “Sentinel-2 Captures Before and After Nepal Flash Flood.” ESA, 31 Aug. 2026.

• Reuters. “Before Flood Catastrophe, Nepal Asked China for Early Warnings as Risks Mounted.” The Japan Times, 31 Aug. 2026.

• Reuters. “Nepal Floods Aftermath Through the Lens of Reuters Photographers.” Reuters, 9 Sept. 2026.