When prolonged drought struck the village of Samdzong in Upper Mustang, Nepal, residents faced a critical decision: stay or leave. At an altitude of 4,100m, the village had long relied on a glacier-fed stream for survival. But by the early 1990s, the stream began to vanish, a direct consequence of climate change. In 2012, the community moved 10 miles away, leaving behind ancestral land and cultural heritage.
Bhakki Gurung, now 70, recalls her childhood in the wind-swept valley near the Tibet border. The nomadic families of Upper Mustang have a history of migration, but the current threat is unprecedented. The region, known as ground zero for climate impacts, experiences erratic rainfall and snowfall, leading to both floods and droughts. In 1988, a glacial lake outburst flood destroyed 36 houses and swept away livestock, forcing further displacement.
The drought worsened in the late 1990s, causing poor crop growth and livestock deaths. Gurung lost two newborns due to lack of medical help. With no electricity, hospital, or health centre, the remote village struggled. In 2006, a group meeting led to the reluctant decision to relocate, a move that became reality six years later.
Experts warn that such extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in the Himalayas, threatening the fragile livelihoods of mountain communities. The story of Samdzong highlights the harsh reality of climate change for those living on the front lines.
