Opinion | Bhotekoshi flood wasn’t a freak event. It’s the Himalaya doing what it does
Summary
The Bhotekoshi flood was not an isolated event but part of the Himalaya’s ongoing cycle of landslides, glacier collapse and flooding. The opinion piece argues that Nepal needs stronger disaster mitigation, better early warning systems and a rethink of large hydropower projects in high-risk river valleys.
Key Points
- A massive rockfall and glacier collapse near Langtang Lirung triggered the August 26 floods along the Lhende and Bhotekoshi–Trishuli rivers.
- The article links the disaster to Himalayan geology, rapid mountain uplift, river incision and the effects of global warming on glaciers and permafrost.
- It recalls earlier catastrophes, including the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, the Langtang landslide and glacial lake outburst floods in Nepal.
- The author calls for no building on floodplains, smaller hydropower schemes, better early warning systems and more aid for Nepal.
