By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel
Like every normal day, the people of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts were engaged in their daily chores. Children were getting ready for school, mothers were preparing food, while other members of the family were engaged in their respective activities. They had no idea what was taking shape a little distance away—a flood ready to wreak havoc.
Suddenly, the government authorities announced that a flash flood had occurred in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa district at around 8:40 a.m. In the hours that followed, the flash flood devastated three districts, destroying everything in its path and displaying its full fury.
According to government officials, more than 900 people have lost their lives so far. This is an alarming figure, and the number is very likely to increase as search operations for more than 4500 missing people are still underway. Reports also say that more than 800 houses were swept away by the flash flood. In plain words, people have lost everything—their homes, livelihoods and near and dear ones. All these are irreparable losses.
Amid this period of grief, people around the world are raising a key question. They candidly ask: “What was the immediate cause of the tragedy?” Their queries call for convincing explanations and permanent solutions to prevent such catastrophes in the days ahead.
While we impatiently wait for definitive answers, let us look at what the preliminary investigation says about the tragedy. The report says the immediate cause of the August 26 flash flood that devastated Rasuwa and swept downstream through Nuwakot and Dhading was either a glacier or ice avalanche on the Tibetan side of the Nepal-China border. This led to the sudden release of water and debris into the Lende Khola-Bhotekoshi river system.
As a result, an ice and rock avalanche blocked the Lende River, creating a temporary debris-dammed lake. Soon after, water began to accumulate behind the blockage. When the debris could no longer withstand the force of the water, it burst, releasing an enormous volume of water, ice, rock and sediment. The result was a powerful, debris-laden flash flood that entered the Bhotekoshi river system and travelled downstream through the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli system, affecting Nuwakot and Dhading and creating havoc in its wake.
The flood gave people little or no time to react, leaving them unable to safeguard their lives, property and livestock.
After the 2015 earthquake, which wreaked havoc across 14 districts of the country and killed more than 8,000 people, the recent flash flood has added to the woes of the nation. Why does the Almighty subject us to such ordeals time and again? This is the question on the minds of every Nepali at present.
Amid this period of grief and sorrow, the only silver lining is the outpouring of support from people across the country who have come forward to help their brothers and sisters in crisis. People are reaching out to the victims and their families, supporting them in whatever way they can, whether morally or financially.
The Home Minister has announced a comprehensive rehabilitation package, including free medical treatment, financial assistance to the families of those who died, search, rescue and emergency relief operations, and the restoration of blocked roads and damaged telecommunications and electricity infrastructure.
However, some people seem to have lost their humanity. This pen pusher is referring to a video that went viral on social media following the flash flood. The video showed a couple of men removing gold and other valuable ornaments from the bodies of deceased victims.
How have Nepalese, who are otherwise known for their compassion and empathy, transformed into such inhuman beings in recent times? The incident validates the saying that “people can go to any length out of greed.”
Similarly, some people downstream were seen collecting LPG cylinders swept away by the flash flood for their personal benefit. Their actions clearly suggest that they are completely devoid of mercy and humanity. I leave it to the experts to describe such people.
While some people are risking their lives to rescue those stranded by the disaster, others are taking undue advantage of the circumstances. What a pity.
No sane person would disagree with the fact that Nepalese people suffered through no fault of their own. Simply speaking, the Wednesday disaster was not of their making. In fact, it is the outcome of uncontrolled and haphazard human activities that have contributed to rising global temperatures, threatening the lives of people living in vulnerable areas, including the Himalayas.
Highly placed reports state that Himalayan glaciers lost ice 65 percent faster during 2011–2020 than during 2001–2010. ICIMOD—an intergovernmental organisation based in Kathmandu that promotes sustainable development and resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region—has recorded 26 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) events in Nepal since 1977, 11 of which had transboundary impacts. What is even more alarming is that the frequency and magnitude of these events have increased in recent decades. A recent example occurred at Birendra Tal in the Manaslu region in April 2024.
For Nepal, global warming in the Himalayan region is not merely an environmental issue. It represents a direct threat to the lives of people living there. Residents of the region constantly live under the threat of being swept away by floods caused by glacial lake outbursts, which are being exacerbated by human-induced climate change.
Over the past centuries, the West has achieved exceptionally high levels of prosperity, technological advancement and living standards. Sadly, however, this development has come with social and environmental costs that are disproportionately borne by vulnerable populations elsewhere.
When questions are raised about such disproportionate impacts, Western countries often respond by pointing to the financial assistance and compensation they provide to countries affected by climate-related catastrophes. But how can financial assistance ever compensate for the loss of human lives?
The Himalayas are no longer merely warning us about the future consequences of global warming. Glaciers are shrinking at an accelerating rate, glacial lakes are expanding, and the risks of floods, landslides and water insecurity are increasing. Developed nations bear a significant responsibility for this crisis and cannot shy away from providing financial assistance and compensation to vulnerable countries for the loss and damage they suffer.
Now, Nepal has faced the disaster. In the days ahead, another vulnerable region could become the next victim. We must learn from these recent flash floods and work towards lasting solutions to ensure that no more lives are lost to such disasters in the future.
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