Nepal Flash Floods: The flash floods in Nepal caused a powerful surge through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems, with water, sediment and large boulders sweeping downstream. According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) assessment, the water level in the Trishuli River at Galchhi rose by up to 9 metres (30 feet) within just 30 minutes on Wednesday.

Monitoring Stations Swept Away

Similarly, at Malekhu, the river level has risen by around seven metres during the same period. The force of the floodwater was so powerful that even monitoring stations were swept away. According to reports, several automated monitoring stations in the upper basin were swept away or stopped transmitting signals. This left authorities without enough time to issue timely warnings for others.

Speaking to The Kathmandu Post, Senior hydrologist Binod Parajuli said, “No station could send us an alert on time.” The flood surge crossed the Tibet-Nepal border at Rasuwagadhi at 8:40 am. However, Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) received the information only at 8:56 am, 16 minutes later, after the Rasuwa District Administration Office manually sent the report through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

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How Locals Raised Alarm

As the floodwater surged, locas quickly stepped in to warn others and help people move to safety. People shouted and blew whistles to warn others, while communities living along the river moved quickly to higher ground to escape the rising water. Additionally, Nepal’s flood-warning system sent alerts after the flooding was detected.

More than 600,000 SMS warnings were sent to communities in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan. Officials said these alerts helped many people in downstream areas to move to safety. However, residents in some locations had to rely on their own observations and experience. Parajuli acknowledged that the warning system produced mixed results, syaing, “We failed to alert in Rasuwa, but timely warnings in Nuwakot and the lower areas may have saved hundreds of lives.”

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