Nepal’s Devastating Flash Flood: Villages Swept Away by a Wall of Mud and Stone
A catastrophic glacial flood swept through Nepal’s Himalayan valleys, destroying entire villages and leaving thousands dead or missing. Triggered by the collapse of a mountainside and glacier, the disaster sent a devastating torrent of water, mud and rocks down the Trishuli River.
Despite timely government warnings, many residents initially dismissed the alerts, unaware of the scale of the approaching disaster. Others who heeded the warnings managed to escape, limiting casualties in some communities.
The disaster also tested Nepal’s newly elected government, which mobilized thousands of soldiers and police officers, deployed helicopters and coordinated emergency relief. Survivors faced the loss of homes, livelihoods and loved ones as rescue teams searched through vast stretches of mud and debris.
In Devighat, shopkeeper Salikram Adhikari returned to find his store buried beneath several meters of mud. Although his family survived, much of his village had been destroyed. Like many others, he now faces the difficult task of rebuilding his life amid the devastation.
Story written by Noël van Bemmel for de Volkskrant.
