The catastrophe in Nepal may not be over. Authorities have warned that there is a risk of a second major flood because there remains a blockage upstream of the Lhende Khola river, the channel related to the flooding that has devastated towns in the north of the country near the border with Tibet.
The first flood has destroyed homes, roads, bridges, and hydroelectric facilities and has left dozens dead and hundreds missing on both sides of the border. But while search operations continue, emergency teams are now monitoring what happens upstream.
The possibility that this natural dam could suddenly give way keeps the populations located downstream under threat.
What concerns authorities now
The hypothesis that investigators are working with suggests that a earthquake may have triggered an avalanche of ice and rock over the Lhende Khola river. This mass would have temporarily blocked the channel and subsequently contributed to suddenly releasing a huge amount of water, mud, and debris.
The problem is that there is still another blockage upstream, according to authorities cited by Reuters. If it accumulates enough water and ends up breaking, it could generate a second wave of flooding.
There is currently no forecast that allows for establishing when it could occur or what dimensions it would reach. Precisely because of this uncertainty, authorities have requested to maintain vigilance and avoid the proximity of the affected channels.
Nepal has activated alerts
The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology of Nepal maintains this Wednesday active hydrological warnings and the national river monitoring system remains operational. The agency also has the free phone number 1155 for meteorological information and flood alerts.
The warnings particularly affect areas crossed by the river systems that descend from the Tibetan border into the interior of Nepal.
The damage suffered by roads and telecommunications also complicates the monitoring of certain areas and the access of rescue teams.
A flood that traversed several river systems
The catastrophe has affected the surroundings of the Bhote Koshi and the Trishuli, two fundamental channels in this area of the Himalayas.
The flood swept away structures and materials down the mountain until reaching towns and border crossings, and also affected Gyirong, on the Tibetan side. Associated Press reports severe damage along the Bhote Koshi, Trishuli, and Narayani rivers.
In this type of episodes, the danger does not depend solely on the rain that falls on the ground. A landslide or an avalanche can create a natural dam and cause water to accumulate for hours before suddenly releasing it.
The area already suffered another major flood 14 months ago
The concern is heightened because this region already suffered another major flooding episode just 14 months ago.
The precedent fuels the scientific debate about the increasing vulnerability of the Himalayas, where glaciers, steep slopes, seismic activity, mountain lakes, and infrastructure settled in narrow valleys combine.
For now, the priority remains to locate the missing and prevent a new flood from surprising rescue teams and residents of the areas located downstream.