As many as 1,500 people are missing in Nepal and Tibet in the catastrophic floods and mudslides that struck the country. The number of missing Indians totals more than 300, as told by Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal on Thursday.
As per the reports, police in Nepal said that the flood has claimed the lives of at least 162 people. In Tibet alone, 558 people were reported missing after a collapse of a glacier resulted in mudslides. Following the flood, as reported by the Indian Express, India has delivered over 10 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Nepal, and rescue teams are in search of hundreds of people still missing.
Questions have also been raised about whether early warnings from China could have helped in preventing the loss of lives.
“Nepal has been addressing the legitimate security concerns of our neighbors. However, it must be said with sadness that our northern neighbor has significantly undermined us. By failing to provide early warning of such a massive disaster, we suffered immense loss of human life,” Nepali journalist Naya Patrika, a Nepali daily, said, taking to social media account X.
“We have continually faced crises originating from their territory, while we continue to address all their concerns, necessary or unnecessary. Why must Nepal alone pay the price of one-sided love?” he added.
“I thought the Chinese had better monitoring systems for GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) in the border region, but it seems not. They have also suffered heavy losses of life and properties,” said Dr. Govind Raj Pokharel, former vice chair of the National Planning Commission of Nepal and former CEO of National Reconstruction, in a post on social media platform X.
The Cause of the Flood
Investigations are underway on the cause of the flood. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake was recorded near the Nepal-Tibet border before the disaster. Researchers have also highlighted the speed of the flood wave and rapid increase in the river levels.
Earlier than this, Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said the flash flood was not the result of rainfall in Rasuwa. Dinkar Kayastha, information officer at the department, cited either the formation of a new glacier or the bursting of an already existing glacier. “We are still studying the matter, so the real cause is not yet known,” he said.
Rasuwa Assistant Chief District Officer Dhruva Prasad Adhikari highlighted that the flood was large in scale and caused major destruction in two settlements. He further said that several vehicles and goods kept at the customs premises were swept away, India Today reported.
As per Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the flash flood was not the result of rainfall in Rasuwa. Dinkar Kayastha, information officer at the department, cited either the formation of a new glacier or the bursting of an already existing glacier. “We are still studying the matter, so the real cause is not yet known,” he said.
Rasuwa Assistant Chief District Officer Dhruva Prasad Adhikari highlighted that the flood was large in scale and caused major destruction in two settlements. He further said that several vehicles and goods kept at the customs premises were swept away, India Today reported.
