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New flood risk emerges in Nepal as river blockage creates large lake
🇳🇵 Nepal /Disasters & Emergencies

New flood risk emerges in Nepal as river blockage creates large lake

From OnlineKhabar English · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • A new flood threat has emerged in Rasuwa, Nepal, due to a blockage in the Lhende Khola river creating a large upstream lake.
  • Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) confirmed the lake's formation via satellite imagery, warning of potential dam instability.
  • This warning follows a recent devastating flash flood in the region, prompting authorities to urge high alert and necessary precautions in downstream areas.

A significant new flood threat is developing in Nepal's Rasuwa district following the blockage of the Lhende Khola river. The obstruction has caused a large lake to form approximately 18 kilometers upstream of the Rasuwagadhi border crossing, raising serious concerns about the stability of a natural dam and the potential for a catastrophic outburst.

If the dam breaks, a large volume of water could rush downstream and trigger another major flood.

— NDRRMAThe National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority's warning about the potential consequences of the natural dam bursting.

Preliminary analysis of satellite images, received on Thursday morning, confirmed the formation of the lake, which covers an estimated 0.11 square kilometers. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) stated that the river's blockage has created a natural dam whose integrity remains uncertain. If this dam were to break, a massive volume of water could be released downstream, triggering another major flood event.

This warning comes just a day after a devastating flash flood ravaged settlements and infrastructure along the Bhotekoshi River in the same district. The full extent and exact causes of Wednesday's disaster are still under assessment, adding to the urgency of the current situation. The NDRRMA has issued a strong advisory to residents and authorities in downstream areas, urging them to remain highly vigilant and implement necessary precautionary measures.

NDRRMA has urged residents and authorities in downstream areas to remain highly alert and take necessary precautions in view of the risk of a fresh flood.

— NDRRMAThe authority's call for vigilance and preparedness in areas downstream from the potential threat.

Furthermore, the authority has requested relevant agencies to maintain close monitoring of the developing situation and to prepare contingency plans for a possible sudden release of water from the upstream lake. The combination of a recent flood and the immediate threat of another due to the natural dam underscores the precariousness of the region's safety.

The authority has also asked concerned agencies to closely monitor the situation and prepare for a possible sudden release of water from the upstream lake.

— NDRRMANDRRMA's directive to agencies for continuous monitoring and readiness.
About this summary

Originally published by OnlineKhabar English in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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