{"id":27828,"date":"2026-10-22T07:06:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T01:21:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=27828"},"modified":"2026-10-22T07:06:55","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T01:21:55","slug":"listen-to-the-himalayas-before-disaster-strikes-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=27828","title":{"rendered":"Listen to the Himalayas Before Disaster Strikes<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"

A scientific study released after the devastating floods in Rasuwa raises a serious question: why do we act only after a disaster has struck, even when the mountains show signs of danger? According to a study by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), satellite observations recorded up to 40 centimetres of line-of-sight deformation on a slope in the Langtang Lirung area between 7 July and 24 August, before the disaster on 26 August. This finding cannot predict exactly when a landslide or glacial flood will occur, but it shows that slopes at risk can be monitored. <\/p>\n

Viewing the event only as a glacial lake outburst flood would miss the full nature of the danger. Rock and ice can collapse, block a river, and create a sudden surge of water carrying mud and debris towards settlements and infrastructure. These can be stages in a single chain of hazards. The study points out that existing systems focused on rainfall and river levels may not provide enough warning of such sudden events. It also calls for stronger risk assessment and cross-border information sharing. <\/p>\n

Nepal cannot limit disaster management to rescue and relief. Rescue is essential, but so are early risk identification, timely alerts for communities in danger, and safe routes to higher ground. The government should invest in regular analysis of satellite data, identify unstable slopes and places where rivers could be blocked, and ensure that warning messages reach local communities in a form they can understand.<\/p>\n

Installing technology alone does not create an effective early-warning system. Clear responsibilities are needed among the agencies that monitor hazards, experts who assess the data, authorities that issue warnings, and local teams that act on them. Before disaster strikes, it must be clear when a warning should be issued, who has the authority to issue it, and where residents should go. Geological risks must also guide planning for settlements, roads and hydropower projects.<\/p>\n

Mountain hazards do not stop at national borders. The events in Rasuwa underline the need for Nepal and China to share information promptly on river flows, slope stability, glaciers and weather. Regional cooperation should also include river systems that flow into India and the communities they may affect. Sharing information is not only a matter of diplomatic goodwill; it is a shared responsibility to protect lives.<\/p>\n

Disasters cannot always be prevented, but their damage can be reduced. The test now is whether Nepal can turn scientific findings into policy, funding and local preparedness. The government has a duty to build a system that can read the warning signs in the mountains and act in time.<\/p>\n

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