India, Aug. 30 -- Seismic activity might have played a critical role in the unfolding of the major flash flood that struck Nepal's Rasuwa district on August 26 morning killing at least 734 so far, said a UN glacier expert in an exclusive interview with this correspondent on August 27. The expert also pointed out the possible climate linkage to the development, referring to an UN-led paper that is in pre-publication stage.

The UN expert told this correspondent that the impact on India cannot be ruled out as such flash floods are known to affect hundreds of kilometres downstream, warning that there may be "cascading effects" to follow.

Seismic activity: either a trigger or response or both

Dipesh Chapagain, a senior scientist in the Glob...