In the early hours of Saturday, August 2, 2014 a large landslide struck part of the Sunkoshi river – a tributary of the Ganga – in Nepal. The landslide killed 156 people and affected the livelihoods of countless others. The Nepalese government responded swiftly to the disaster and was careful to manage the large lake that formed upstream of the debris blocking the river.
If the lake had burst, it could have sent a deluge of water downstream, that could affect Bihar. Therefore the government response teams were careful to dismantle the blockage slowly and maintain a steady, controlled flow of the river.
The tragic event illustrated interesting aspects on disaster relief and regional cooperation on transboundary river basins.
Paula Hanasz, is a passionate volunteer with India Water Portal, and an International Visiting Fellow doing her Ph.D based on water conflicts, looking at the Himalyan range- Ganga and Bramhaputra.
She is currently travelling across Nepal and had an opportunity to visit the site of the landslide on the Sunkoshi river.