Nearly 300,000 Nepalis at flood risk: Study
NEW DELHI: More than 1,400 people were killed and 5,000 remain missing after catastrophic floods hit Nepal in August – and a new study Thursday warned nearly 300,000 people face similar risks.
Nearly 300,000 Nepalis face flood risk, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. The devastating floods that struck Nepal in August, claiming over 1,400 lives and leaving 5,000 missing, were triggered by a glacial and rock collapse on the Nepal-China border. The disaster raised concerns about the potential for similar floods in the future, as glaciers retreat and development expands in the fragile mountain terrain.
The study examined areas up to 50 kilometers downstream of 1,361 Himalayan lakes in Nepal and neighboring parts of China and India. Scientists, including C. Scott Watson from the University of Leeds, noted that climate change played a significant role in the August floods. Nepal, with a population of around 30 million people, estimates the reconstruction cost at US$4.78 billion.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah described the flooding as a warning to the world about the rising dangers of climate change. The study found that 293,000 people live less than 50 meters above usual water flows, potentially within reach of floodwaters. Additionally, the area covered by buildings in potential flood zones increased by nearly 46% between 2016 and 2023.
The study highlights the increasing hazards due to retreating glaciers, the formation of glacial lakes, and the thawing of mountain permafrost. Watson emphasized the need to develop detailed hazard maps to inform land-use planning, infrastructure development, and early warning systems.
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