Nepal’s devastating floods along the China border have raised serious questions about the country’s access to early-warning information from China. Officials in Kathmandu say they had asked Beijing months before the disaster for better data on glacier movements, water levels and other risks, but received little information that could have helped them prepare.
The floods struck on August 26 after a glacier collapse triggered a massive flow of ice, rocks, mud and water through parts of the Himalayan region. The disaster destroyed homes, bridges, roads and other infrastructure, while thousands of people were killed or reported missing. Rescue teams are still searching for survivors in difficult weather and mountainous terrain.
Nepali officials said they wanted China to provide information on unusual glacier activity and sudden changes in water levels. Sauhardra Joshi, a hydrologist with Nepal’s Flood Forecasting Division, said the country needed to know about such developments as early as possible.
Dharam Raj Uprety, chief executive of Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, said communities had less than five minutes to react when the flood arrived. He pointed to the lack of weather stations in high-altitude areas and limited cross-border sharing of weather and climate information as major challenges.
The issue had been discussed before the latest disaster. Officials from Nepal and China met in Kathmandu in May to discuss cooperation on floods, glaciers and other hazards. Nepal had also raised similar concerns after a deadly glacial lake outburst flood in the region last year.
China, however, has rejected suggestions that it failed to share information. The Chinese embassy in Nepal said Beijing had made substantial progress in discussions with Kathmandu and had shared important information in a timely manner, while noting the difficulties of monitoring hazards in the remote Himalayan region.
Reuters reported that China had provided Nepal with forecasts of heavy rainfall, but Nepali officials said they wanted more specific information about avalanches, glacier movements and water levels. Nepal is now seeking stronger cooperation and a more formal system for receiving real-time information from China.
The disaster has also renewed concerns about the growing risks facing the Himalayas. Scientists say warmer temperatures can increase instability in glaciers and mountain slopes, although it is too early to directly link this particular collapse to climate change.
As rescue operations continue, Nepal is now looking at ways to strengthen its early-warning network. Officials say better monitoring and faster sharing of information across borders could give communities more time to escape if another major mountain disaster occurs.
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