India, Aug. 26 -- Nepal is witnessing devastating flash floods near the China border, with powerful waters sweeping through villages and carrying trees, vehicles, rocks and other debris. A helicopter pilot who saw the disaster from the air estimated that the flood waves reached five to six metres in height. The exact cause remains unclear, although preliminary reports indicate that an earthquake may have triggered an avalanche of ice and rock.

What Caused the Disaster?

Initial reports suggest that an earthquake may have triggered an avalanche, which potentially blocked the Bhotekoshi River before a sudden surge of water was released downstream. Saswata Sanyal of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) descr...