Massive flash floods in Nepal, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche, have devastated the border town of Timure and other central districts, leaving a rising death toll and hundreds missing. The disaster, described by witnesses as feeling like an earthquake, has claimed entire families and caused widespread destruction to infrastructure. Rescue efforts are underway, with a significant number of missing individuals identified as tourists, including nearly 300 Indian nationals.
The flash floods in Nepal's Nuwakot district have left a trail of destruction, damaging homes, roads and infrastructure and disrupting lives.
As devastating flash floods swept through parts of Nepal, triggered by torrential rains and a surge in the Bhote Koshi River, Nepali residents and workers in Delhi spent Wednesday anxiously trying to reach family and friends back home, with reports of deaths and hundreds missing causing widespread worry.
Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh has called for the establishment of a Himalayan authority involving all Himalayan nations, including India, Pakistan, and Nepal, to protect the fragile mountain range from destruction. He also criticised the four-laning of highways in Uttarakhand's Char Dham region, deeming it "reprehensible" due to its environmental impact. His appeal comes as Nepal grapples with devastating flash floods, highlighting the region's vulnerability.
'The valley is around 16 km from the Nepal border, and it took just 8-10 minutes for the ice and rocks to reach the Nepal border. You can imagine how fast it must have travelled!'
A scientist from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology highlights how climate change, including glacial retreat, shifting precipitation patterns, and rising nighttime temperatures, is exacerbating the risk of flash floods and landslides in the Himalayas, as seen in recent disasters in Nepal and Uttarakhand.
'When a glacier collapse or a major flood event does occur, the water will simply reclaim its original path, and anything built in that path will be swept away.'
Sikkim has identified 40 high-hazard glacial lakes, with 16 at the highest risk of catastrophic outbursts. Following a devastating GLOF in 2023, the state is developing India's first dedicated GLOF Risk Mitigation Protocol, using advanced monitoring and interdisciplinary approaches to protect downstream settlements and serve as a model for other Himalayan regions.
The government has mobilized army, police and Red Cross volunteers to carry out rescue works and relief activities in the districts with the help of six helicopters, the officials said.
Release of water from the overflowing dams in Nepal has not only flooded large parts of the terai belt in Uttar Pradesh, but it has inundated certain areas of the Dudhwa National Park, which remains the state's largest and richest wildlife reserve.
Hundreds of people are facing a shortage of food, safe drinking water and sanitation in Kathmandu following the natural disaster, according to eyewitnesses.
In addition to that, 68 people still remain missing, with 100 more sustaining injuries in the disaster.
The NRSC satellite imagery revealed that the lake covered approximately 162.7 hectares. Its area increased to 167.4 hectares on September 28 but drastically reduced to 60.3 hectares.
Nepal has been hit by heavy rainfall since Thursday. More than 25 districts and 10,385 households have been affected.
Four earthquakes, the strongest being of magnitude 6.2, jolted Nepal in quick succession with tremors reverberating through parts of north India including Delhi-NCR, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said on Tuesday.
'The prime minister expressed concern and assured all possible help to the state,' CMO said.
The release of water has affected over 1.50 lakh people and damaged 171 houses, he said, adding National Disaster Response Force personnel have been deployed in the area to rescue people.
The earthquake rocked many parts of Thailand including its capital Bangkok, the venue for next week's summit of BIMSTEC regional grouping that is scheduled to be attended by Modi among other leaders.
Modi also announced Rs 2 lakh aid to the kin of those who died in the deluge.
Flood victims have been fighting for survival and living in temporary shelters nearby railway tracks with lack of food items. They are yet to get any help from the government, reports M I Khan.
Several states of the country are battling grim flood situations that have affected lakhs of people and have also resulted in loss of life and property.
A landslide dammed river started flowing normally after sweeping away debris that had blocked it.
The Centre on Sunday assured all help and assistance to Bihar for rescue and relief in the wake of emerging situation due to overflow in Kosi following a landslide in Nepal creating an artificial dam on the river and triggering possibility of floods.
The UNICEF said an estimated 2.4 million children have been affected by the recent floods in the country.
The floods have affected 31 lakh people across 13 districts and also widely damaged crops in different parts of the state.
The floods have also damaged crops in 2 lakh hectares of land.
About 1.82 lakh people have been evacuated to safe places by the rescue teams in last 48 hours.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar conducted aerial survey of 12 inundated districts to take stock of the situation arising out of flood which has claimed 190 lives so far in Bihar.
Around 1,500 villages across Uttar Pradesh are trying to struggle to stay afloat after flood fury hit them hard due to the release of overflowing water from dams in Nepal last Sunday.
The flood situation eased in Assam and northern districts of West Bengal with water receding and no fresh deaths being reported in both the states.
Heavy rains in the last three days triggered flash floods in parts of Bihar, where 41 people have died so far, and inundated large areas in Assam and North Bengal, paralysing normal life and snapping rail link to the Northeast from the rest of the country.
Year after year, floods cause mayhem in Bihar but the government is not paying adequate attention to water management.
The cover will pay only for the construction cost of the building.
The district administration has pressed men and machinery for relief and rescue operations, he said.
The Nepal earthquake has driven home the importance of home insurance. What are the factors you need to keep in mind before insuring your property? Indrani Roy offers a checklist.
Chief Ministers of both states announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the next kin of the deceased.
Professor Mohammad Ismail Bhat warns of a strong quake waiting to happen in Jammu and Kashmir.
'They are not tom-tomming what a great thing the Supreme Court decision is.' 'If they say it was a great thing, the public will react because people suffered and are still suffering.'
While there is no change in the strength of the Modi-led CCPA over its two tenures, what has changed is its profile.
Here is a list of previous cyclones that have struck the country.
