Nepal flash floods aftermath LIVE: Nepal-Tibet flood death toll rises to 1,243 as PM Shah flags climate change link - The Hindu

**Nepal‑Tibet Flood Disaster Claims Over 1,200 Lives, Prime Minister Flags Climate Link**

A series of torrential rains and rapid snowmelt in the Himalayas have unleashed catastrophic flash floods across Nepal’s central and eastern provinces, pushing the death toll to **1,243** according to the latest government count. The deluge, which began on 13 May and intensified on 14 May, swamped low‑lying villages, washed away bridges and roads, and triggered massive landslides that cut off entire communities. Prime Minister **Pushpa Kamal Dahal Shah** addressed the nation on live television, stating that the scale and frequency of such extreme events are consistent with scientific projections of a warming climate, and urging both domestic and international stakeholders to recognize climate change as a core driver of the disaster.

In the wake of the tragedy, the Nepalese government has announced a two‑fold response. First, it has mobilised the Armed Forces, the Nepal Red Cross Society and dozens of NGOs to conduct rescue operations, distribute emergency supplies, and establish temporary shelters for the estimated 250,000 displaced persons. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has pledged **$22 million** in immediate aid and is coordinating with the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to scale up relief. Second, Kathmandu has formally lodged a request for **climate compensation** from the world’s largest greenhouse‑gas emitters—**China, the United States and India**—citing the “principle of loss and damage” under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The move follows similar claims by other vulnerable nations and reflects growing pressure on industrialised states to fund adaptation and recovery in climate‑impacted regions.

While relief operations continue, experts warn that the long‑term reconstruction will be hampered by the region’s fragile infrastructure and limited fiscal capacity. The Nepalese Ministry of Finance has earmarked **$1 billion** for rebuilding roads, schools and health facilities, but international donors have been urged to accelerate pledges. Meanwhile, climate scientists from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) stress that without decisive mitigation of global emissions, the Himalayas could see a further rise in extreme weather events, threatening the livelihoods of millions who depend on the mountains’ water resources. The disaster has ignited a broader debate within South Asia about shared responsibility for climate‑induced hazards and the mechanisms needed to deliver timely, equitable compensation.