India, Oct. 17 -- On 26 August 2026, a huge mass of ice and rock broke away from a Himalayan mountainside near the Nepal-Tibet border. It crashed down into the valley below, setting off a torrent of water, mud and boulders that rushed through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems. Bridges disappeared, roads were destroyed, buildings were swept away, and whole settlements were devastated. By 11 October, the reported death toll had reached 1,457, with thousands still missing. People living far downstream had little time to escape.

Then, on 11 October, another disaster struck Nepal. An avalanche and a massive landslide high in the mountains of Gorkha sent debris rushing towards the Budhi Gandaki river. A temporary blockage appears to h...