The devastating flood that hit Nepal and Tibet on August 26 continues to worsen. Latest reports confirm at least 1,273 fatalities across the two regions, with 4,757 individuals still missing. Rescue operations are ongoing in the affected areas, and there is growing concern over the humanitarian impact of the crisis.
Nepal is experiencing the most severe conditions. The national disaster management authority has updated the death toll to 1,252, with 4,216 people missing. These figures, combined with those from Tibet, push the total death count beyond 1,200. According to France Presse, some activists dispute the numbers released by Chinese authorities, suggesting the actual death toll in Tibet might be higher.
While rescue efforts continue, scientists are working to understand the event that led to the flooding. One main theory is that a massive rockslide, involving a glacier, triggered the disaster.
Global warming is under scrutiny as a contributing factor. Melting glaciers and thawing permafrost can destabilize mountain slopes, making them more prone to collapse. The specific link to climate change will need further scientific investigation at the site.
According to reconstructions reported by the New York Times, the landslide generated a flow roughly thirty times the volume of Niagara Falls, moving at speeds over 160 kilometers per hour. The scar left on the mountain and the exposed rocks and permafrost could provide crucial insights into the causes of the collapse.
Kristen Cook, a geomorphologist at Université Grenoble Alpes and part of a research team studying the tragedy, suggests the most plausible explanation is a rockslide that subsequently caused the glacier to give way.
In addition to the tragedy of the victims and missing persons, a severe health crisis is unfolding. According to UNICEF, at least 22,000 children in Nepal urgently need clean water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance.
The floods have damaged water supply systems across all affected districts, impacting both community facilities and larger networks. Many sanitation facilities have been destroyed or rendered unusable, forcing numerous families to live in overcrowded shelters. This situation heightens the risk of infectious diseases and illnesses spread through contaminated water.
Nepal is also working on preventing future disasters. Plans are underway to establish an early warning system for landslides along part of the border with China, using seismic sensors, cameras, and satellite links.
The first equipment is expected to be installed in Timure, in the Rasuwa district, along the river corridor affected by the massive flow of water, mud, and rocks. A Vsat satellite link should enable monitoring stations to maintain communication even if mobile networks fail.
The flood has knocked out at least four monitoring stations in the border area. In a region where such events can develop rapidly, even a few minutes' warning could be crucial for evacuating downstream communities.
(Associated Medias) - All rights reserved