"Nepal Flood Raises Questions On Constructions Close To Rivers, Says Expert", 27 August 2026

The glacier collapse and flash flood in Nepal's Rasuwa region have once again exposed the dangers of unchecked construction along Himalayan rivers, with a leading cryosphere expert warning that traditional mountain communities were often safer because they built their homes high above river valleys rather than directly on riverbanks.

Speaking to NDTV from Chengdu in China, Dr Mohd. Farooq Azam, Senior Intervention Manager for Cryosphere at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal, said the disaster appears to have been triggered by an ice and rock avalanche or glacier collapse that unleashed a destructive flood downstream, causing extensive damage to infrastructure, homes, bridges and hydropower projects.

… Today, however, rapid development has transformed the landscape…

"Now settlements are happening very close to river banks and sometimes over the rivers. They have some overhanging pillars and structures, and they establish some shops and markets," he warned.

The destruction witnessed in Rasuwa appears to underline that concern. The powerful flood wave tore through downstream infrastructure, damaging hydropower facilities, homes and bridges. According to Farooq, the disaster affected multiple hydropower projects and large numbers of houses while destroying bridges across a wide stretch of the river corridor.

The event occurred in a region that is already highly vulnerable due to climate-driven changes taking place across the Himalayas…

Farooq called for stronger land use policies across the Himalayan region so that settlements and infrastructure projects are planned with full awareness of geological and climatic hazards…

Disasters do not recognise political boundaries. Flash floods generated high in the mountains can travel long distances downstream, threatening communities far away from the original trigger point.

As investigators continue to analyse satellite imagery and field data from Rasuwa, one message is already becoming clear. The tragedy is not only about a glacier collapse or a mountain flood. It is also a reminder that when homes, markets and infrastructure move closer to rivers, they move closer to danger…