Nepal Flood: How Dangerous Are Mountain Dams?
A critical geography professor warned about the construction of large dams in disaster-prone mountainous areas following a flash flood in Nepal.
The recent flash floods and landslides along the Nepal-China border underscore the dangers of large dams in Nepal's mountainous terrain. Professor Daanish Mustafa, speaking to ANI, warned that such a disaster is inevitable in the region's dynamic glacial and seismically active environment. The catastrophe, which began when a mountain glacier ruptured on August 26, has left a death toll of 1,130 and nearly 4,500 people missing.
The disaster's impact was felt across Nepal, including in the Kathmandu Valley, and on the Chinese side, where landslides damaged the Gyirong border post in southwestern Tibet. Mustafa emphasized that dams in high mountains can exacerbate the damage caused by such events, urging South Asian countries to heed the warning and invest in public education, evacuation drills, and effective communication infrastructure to mitigate the risks.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
