Film
After the Outburst
Glacial Flood Exposes Inequities in Nepal
We’ve partnered with disabled filmmakers globally to document how climate change is impacting people with disabilities in their communities. “After the Outburst” was co-produced and shot by Pema Sangmo.
In Nepal’s high Himalayan region, a glacial lake outburst flood struck Til Village just as climate leaders gathered in Kathmandu hundreds of miles and worlds away. For elderly and disabled residents in Limi Valley, escape was nearly impossible. “I thought, ‘I will be dead,’ washed away by the landslide,” said Tsering Puti Lama, a woman with a physical disability. “My legs are not well. I cannot walk. When I was young, both legs were burned by fire.” Others, like 75-year-old Tenzin Lama, had to be carried to safety after falling from ladders in the chaos. Disability Justice Project filmmakers Chhitup Lama and Pema Sangmo traveled for days to reach the flood zone and document how disabled residents — often the last to be evacuated and the least likely to receive aid — are facing the worst effects of the climate crisis.
Access an audio-described version of this video.
Filmmaker: Chhitup Lama
Chhitup Lama is the founding executive director of Himalayan Education and Development (HEAD) Nepal, a non-profit organization working for disability inclusion in the remotest mountain region in the Humla district in Nepal. He spearheads overall management, institutional development, strategic direction and the vision and mission of the organization. Lama has experience in civil society organization capacity building, gender equity and social inclusion, and expertise in inclusive education. Additionally, as a Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) specialist and a civil society leader, he has contributed to support the CEE program of International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) and the US State Department. In this role, he has mentored emerging youth leaders around the world with leadership capacity, grown networks, and developed a community engagement project while helping cultivate the next generation of talent in civil society. Lama is deeply interested in accessible tourism, inclusive filmmaking, horseback riding, swimming and music.
