Manila: Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David highlighted the immediate concerns of climate change following a devastating glacier collapse in Nepal.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Kalookan bishop emphasized in a radio interview that the disaster in the Himalayan region near the Nepal-Tibet border, where a substantial glacier section collapsed, serves as a stark reminder of the direct effects such events have on communities below. The collapse triggered a massive flow of water, mud, rocks, and debris through the valley.

Cardinal David remarked, "Climate change is no longer something we can speak about merely in the future tense. What happens high above us does not remain there. When mountains of ancient ice collapse, whole communities thousands of meters below can be swept away within minutes."

He drew parallels between the Nepal incident and the lahar flows experienced by the people of Pampanga after Mount Pinatubo's 1991 eruption, describing the scene as a "herd of rampaging bulls coming down from the mountain."

Moreover, Cardinal David urged prayers for Nepal, especially for families who lost loved ones, as well as for the injured, missing, and displaced individuals. He also stressed the importance of environmental stewardship, reminding the public, "What we do to our common home, we ultimately do to ourselves."

The latest reports indicate a death toll exceeding 450, with search and rescue teams continuing efforts to locate 1,400 missing persons, including one Filipino.