Nepal Flash Floods: How Much Is China Responsible For This Huge Loss of Life, Property? Read Here

Nepal Flash Floods: Experts are saying a massive glacier collapse is the main reason for the devastating flash floods on the Nepal-China border. But now, a blame game has started between Nepal and China over the disaster

Image Credit : Asianet News

That fateful Wednesday

On Wednesday, August 26, the Bhotekoshi river on the Nepal-China border suddenly flooded. The flash floods and landslides caused massive destruction across areas like Rasuwa, turning several Nepali villages into heaps of mud and wiping out homes completely.

Image Credit : ANI

Life washed away

The powerful river current swept away everything in its path, including homes, bridges, and roads. The death toll is climbing fast. So far, officials have confirmed 460 deaths in Nepal, with over 900 people still missing.

Image Credit : Asianet News

The real culprit: Langtang Lirung's glacier

Experts point to a massive glacier on Langtang Lirung mountain as the real culprit. This hanging glacier, located at 17,000 feet on the Nepal-Tibet border, had two-thirds of its mass break off, causing the Bhotekoshi river's water level to surge.

Image Credit : ANI

Not an earthquake, but something else?

Authorities first blamed a 4.4 magnitude earthquake. However, the American USGS later clarified the tremor was actually 5.2 magnitude, caused by the glacier collapse itself, not a tectonic event. This collapse unleashed a torrent of water, raising the river level by up to 9 meters in some spots.

Image Credit : Social Media

How the temporary dam burst

Satellite images show what really happened. A temporary dam, formed by ice and rock from the landslide, had blocked the river. This makeshift dam then burst, releasing all the trapped water at once and causing this massive flood.

Image Credit : Asianet News

The reason for the glacier collapse

Experts are also pointing fingers at global warming. They believe the glacier melted over time due to rising temperatures. Eventually, it couldn't support its own weight, leading to the massive hanging section breaking off. This is likely the root cause of the disaster.

Image Credit : Getty

The Nepal-China blame game

A blame game has now erupted between Nepal and China. Kathmandu officials complain they didn't get any warning in time. Beijing, on the other hand, has rejected any suggestion that its dams or reservoirs were responsible for the flood.

Image Credit : Asianet News

The warnings were there

The warning signs were already there. A 2020 joint study by ICIMOD and UNDP had surveyed the Kosi, Gandaki, and Karnali river basins. They found 3,624 glacial lakes, and had already marked 47 of them as dangerous and at risk of bursting.

Image Credit : Asianet News

Death toll rising, many still missing

The number of deaths in Nepal is rising quickly, and hundreds are still missing. Authorities are also unable to trace many foreign tourists and pilgrims who were in the area.

Image Credit : ANI

Focus now on rescue and future prevention

The focus now is on finding the missing and rescuing those affected. To prevent this from happening again, it's crucial to set up a fast information-sharing system between Nepal, China, and India.