Now Reading: Nepal flood: 3 theories probed, India on alert for Gandak surge
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Nepal flood: 3 theories probed, India on alert for Gandak surge
An unexpected flash flood in Nepal on Wednesday morning caused heavy destruction in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan, washing away bridges and damaging power infrastructure. The water is believed to have arrived…
An unexpected flash flood in Nepal on Wednesday morning caused heavy destruction in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan, washing away bridges and damaging power infrastructure. The water is believed to have arrived from the upper Lhende river near Tibet around 9 am, moving downstream through the Trishuli river system.
Three preliminary theories are being investigated. The first is a landslide dam: debris blocked the river, building up pressure until the barrier burst. The second was a possible earthquake, but USGS data now indicates the tremors recorded were caused by a landslide, not a quake. The third is a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), which is being examined as rainfall in Rasuwa was only 7 mm in the previous 24 hours, ruling out rain as the cause.
The flood wave could reach India through the Narayani-Gandak river system. The Central Water Commission has alerted Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. NDRF teams have been deployed in Bettiah, Gopalganj and Muzaffarpur. Six Bihar districts are on watch, along with Maharajganj and Kushinagar in UP. The cause of the flood remains under investigation.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Nepal's glacial lakes have been swelling for decades, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has warned that dozens are at risk of bursting due to warming. A GLOF here would not be a first: a 2021 flood in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, was triggered by a rock and ice avalanche. For India, the immediate risk is to the Gandak river basin, which flows through densely populated north Bihar. The Central Water Commission tracks river levels in real time. The next key signal will be whether the water surge arrives as a single wave or a sustained rise, a single wave would cause a sudden spike but recede fast, while prolonged inflow would mean a landslide dam is still releasing water upstream.
Source: aajtak.in
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
