Floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa district have renewed discussions on the preparedness of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region for a warming climate. Devendra Kumar Sharma, president of the International Commission on Large Dams, stated that the disaster exposes a mismatch between old engineering assumptions and the new reality of glacier loss and extreme weather.
Sharma emphasized that the Himalaya can no longer be managed with 20th-century data and design standards, as events like Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) are likely to become more frequent and severe. He stressed the need to move from disaster relief to prevention, requiring systematic risk assessment, monitoring, and effective early-warning systems that reach communities.
Concerns extend to infrastructure, with Sharma warning against unchecked construction along Himalayan rivers and calling for a review of dam safety standards. He noted that many dams were designed using historical data, which may not account for future extreme flood events driven by climate change. Sharma advocates for international cooperation and updated safety measures for both new and existing infrastructure.
Source: Down To Earth