Guwahati: The Himalayan village of Samjung in Nepal’s Upper Mustang district has been abandoned due to a long-term water crisis attributed to changing climate patterns.
Situated at an altitude of over 13,000 feet (3,962 meters), Samjung was once sustained by traditional livelihoods such as yak and sheep herding and small-scale farming. Residents relied on local springs, canals, and seasonal snowfall to meet their water needs.
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Over the past two decades, the region has experienced a steady decline in snowfall and the drying up of local water sources. Traditional mud homes, built for the region’s cold and dry climate, began to collapse as monsoon rainfall became more erratic and intense. Flash floods caused by concentrated rain events further damaged homes and agricultural fields.
“Three streams, and all three dried up,” said Kunga Gurung, 54, a former resident of Samjung. “We need water to drink and to farm. But there is none there.”
The relocation of Samjung reflects a broader pattern across the Hindu Kush and Himalayan regions, where high-altitude areas are warming faster than the global average. According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICMOD), glaciers in the region are retreating rapidly, and permafrost is thawing.
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A 2023 report warned that up to 80% of glacier volume in the Hindu Kush Himalayas could disappear by the end of this century if greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly reduced.
Communities like Samjung, which once depended on predictable snowfall to manage agricultural cycles, are now facing severe disruptions. The lack of water has forced many families to migrate to lower altitudes or nearby locations with better access to resources.
The relocation of Samjung, with fewer than 100 residents, was made possible after the king of Mustang, who still owns large tracts of land, provided space near the Kali Gandaki river, about 15 kilometers away. Villagers spent several years preparing the new site — building homes, shelters for livestock, and water canals — before the move was complete.
Experts note that while residents may not explicitly cite climate change as the reason for migration, the underlying cause is increasingly linked to changing weather and water availability.
“On a daily basis, it’s the shifting weather patterns that are affecting people’s ability to remain in certain places,” said Neil Adger, professor of human geography at the University of Exeter.
Other communities across the region are reportedly facing similar challenges, with water scarcity emerging as a key factor driving displacement in the Himalayas.