Mother Nature hits back

Mother Nature has immense tolerance but when pushed to the wall, She surely strikes back in anger and what Her fury can unleash, we humans cannot even imagine.

The recent avalanche in Mount Everest, during the peak climbing season surely comes a warning. The way Nepal has completely commercialized Everest, making money with caring for the mountains sustenance is well known. Climbing Mount Everest had become a joke as everyone from a 90 year old, to handicapped and blind could not climb Everest. Even complete new rookies, who have had no previous major climbing experience were climbing this highest peak on earth. The picture, showing a serpetine queue waiting to climb the Hilary Step was a shocker. And that was truly snooking a thumb at the majestic mountain. These are very fragile environments and with so much influx of people, a disaster like this does not come as a surprise. Last week’s avalanche killed 12 sherpas and rightly so,  most sherpas have decided to abandon the expeditions and many tour companies have also cancelled expeditions.

Canceling the expeditions will have a ripple effect on the incomes and livelihoods of hundreds of Sherpas, mostly part of a small ethnic group renowned for mountaineering skills, who assist foreign climbers. And for the next few seasons, there would be much fewer climbers.  Surely this unfortunate disaster should come as an eye opener to the Nepali Govt who should promote responsible climbing, limiting the number of expeditions per year. These Himalayan mountains are most unpredictable and when provoked, their fury will drown the world. The floods of Uttarakhand are another example of the fury of Mother nature when abused by mankind.