- Glacier burst caused devastating Nepal floods on August 26.
- 38-minute delay in alert proved fatal for many.
- Nepal's early warning system and communication networks failed.
Nepal Floods: The devastating flash flood that occurred on August 26 left a trail of destruction, claiming the lives of 1,127 people and leaving around 4,800 missing. Climate experts said the disaster was caused by a glacier burst in Nepal's mountainous region.
A massive search and rescue operation is underway to rescue people trapped in the affected areas and in the tunnels of several damaged hydropower projects.
What Went Wrong And Why People Were Not Alerted?
According to the local media, most people in flood-affected areas were not alerted in time. The alert was sent 38 minutes after the glacier broke.
Failure Of 'Early Warning System'
Following the tragedy, Nepal's emergency alert system has come under scrutiny as reports emerged that suggested that the alert was issued 38 minutes after the glacier burst. These reports exposed the government's disaster management system. When the glacier broke near the Nepal-Tibet border at 8.37 am on August 26, even the government machinery was unaware.
After the Disaster Management Department received the first official alert, text messages were sent to the mobile phones of people in the affected areas of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan at 9.15 am. These alert messages were sent 38 minutes after the glacier broke. The 38-minute delay in warning proved fatal for people living in low-lying areas as they did not get enough time to run towards upper areas.
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Failure Of Sensor And Communication Networks
Nepal's Department of Mines and Geology recorded seismic data of 4.4 magnitude at 8:37 am, but it was not considered an earthquake tremor and was placed in the normal category, and no alert was issued.
At the same time, at 8.50 am, the river gauge at the Syabrubesi hydrological station on the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa was washed away due to the strong current. According to the Kathmandu Post, officials of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said that telecom towers were destroyed in many areas by the initial wave of floods.
Although some people were evacuated to safer places after a text alert was sent at 9.15 pm, the deluge had already wreaked havoc before the information reached remote villages.
Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region are melting twice as fast due to climate change, experts said. Despite this, Nepal's warning system still relies only on simple water level gauges, which are unable to detect such severe disasters.
(With Jagran.com inputs)
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