The drought that forced a Himalayan village in Nepal to relocate

In Nuwakot in central Nepal, almost the entire population gradually migrated over time due to water scarcity concerns. Similarly, in another district of Ramechhap, a fisherman community moved abruptly as their river dried up, others decided to wait. People migrated to lower elevations to meet basic needs and find better livelihoods, leading to internal conflicts within households.

"The feasibility of staying in rural areas has become increasingly challenging," says Amina Maharjan, a senior specialist for livelihood and migration at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development in Patan, Nepal. "While Samdzong was able to relocate through international support, both Nuwakot and Ramechhap find themselves unable to access international or government assistance."

"Most of these climate-vulnerable populations are retreating from stress areas to new areas on their own initiatives with little to no government support. The burden of adaptation is solely on the vulnerable population",  she says.

Samdzong is just one example, says Maharjan. "This ongoing migration is palpable. We've witnessed countless individuals escaping parched regions across the rural livelihoods that are no longer viable," she says. "The global migrant population has almost increased significantly in the last decade, highlighting the pressing concern of addressing the escalating numbers of displaced individuals. The climate crisis will make many high-risk areas unhabitable, forcing people to relocate."

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