At Least 40 Killed Due to Glacial Lake Flooding in India

Government officials told Reuters on Friday that at least 40 people have died due to glacial lake flooding this week in the Himalayas of India, while rescue teams are searching for dozens still missing. The authorities pointed out that the disaster, which affected around 22,000 people, is the latest in a series of climate-related catastrophes that have resulted in casualties in South Asia's mountains, attributed to climate change. A military spokesperson via the platform "X" stated: "Search operations are ongoing amid continuing rainfall and rapidly flowing waters in the Teesta River, along with the washing away of roads and bridges in many areas." A storm caused a massive amount of rain to fall over a short period on the Lunak glacial lake, leading to sudden flooding in the Teesta Valley, located about 150 kilometers north of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, near the border with China. The meteorological department has warned of landslides and flight disruptions with more rainfall expected over the next two days in areas of Sikkim and neighboring states.