A 17-year-old living in Nepal said that he was shocked and “filled with despair” the moment he learnt people he knew lost relatives in the disaster.
Speaking to nine.com.au, the 17-year-old from Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley said that he found out about the disaster while scrolling Instagram.
“I was shocked and filled with despair when I heard the news,” the teenager told nine.com.au.
“I have seen multiple people post about their relatives who were working at hydropower projects and are missing.
“Mostly, those working at these hydropower projects, the local population, and tourists seem to be affected.”
He said that Nepal is one of the countries that shoulder the burden of the climate crisis, and the flash flood that has claimed the lives of more than 160 people amplifies that.
“When richer countries pollute the environment, raise global temperature, and contribute to climate change, it is poorer countries like us that have to bear the brunt of the weight.
“Our glaciers are melting, our rivers are swelling, entire villages have to be relocated for people’s safety, yet we are never in the news cycle unless a huge tragedy has taken place.
He added that people need to be wary of relief funds, as scams have begun running rampant online.
“Back when the earthquake of 2015 happened, a lot of the money was stolen and rerouted by corrupt NGOs,” he claimed.