In an interview on Al Jazeera’s Inside Story at, ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho highlights the science behind the Rasuwa flash flood in Nepal, describing it as a “tsunami from the sky” triggered by a high-altitude glacial collapse. With the Himalayas warming at twice the global average, he stresses the urgent need for ICIMOD’s work in expanding regional glacial monitoring, improving early warning systems, and securing international funding to build climate resilience in mountain communities.

This post from CNN-News18 reports on the sudden flash flood that hit northern Nepal’s Rasuwa district. It highlights how the Trishuli River surged rapidly within 30 minutes, wiping out nearby villages, damaging critical infrastructure, and leaving over a hundred people missing—including dozens of Indian pilgrims heading toward Kailash Mansarovar.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, ICIMOD Geoinformation Associate Sarthak Shrestha analyzes the factors behind the severe Rasuwa flash floods. He highlights how rapid glacial melting and unpredictable high-altitude weather compound disaster risks in the region, stressing the critical need for regional cooperation and investment in robust early warning infrastructure.

In this special episode of Good Morning Nepal on Kantipur TV HD, Cryosphere Researcher, Sunwi Maskey explores the science behind the devastating Rasuwa flood disaster and explains the mechanics of Himalayan ice avalanches. The broadcast urges national unity and support for disaster relief efforts, while advocating for long-term climate preparedness to protect mountain communities.

In this interview on NTV World, ICIMOD Geoinformation Associate Sarthak Shrestha explains that an ice-rock avalanche on the Nepali side temporarily dammed the Lhende River, triggering the massive Rasuwa flash flood. He emphasizes that addressing compounding Himalayan hazard risks requires investing in cost-effective early warning systems, resilient monitoring infrastructure, and risk-informed planning.

In this interview, ICIMOD disaster risk specialist Dr. Saswata Sanyal explains that Nepal’s August 2026 flash floods were triggered by an ice avalanche rather than a glacial lake outburst flood. While climate change drives broader cryospheric risks across the Hindu Kush Himalaya, this specific disaster cannot yet be directly attributed to warming. He emphasises regional monitoring of cascading mountain hazards.

In this India Today report, ICIMOD expert Dr. Farooq Azam explains that a snow-and-rock avalanche linked to local seismic activity triggered the severe Nepal flash flood. The resulting debris flow travelled nearly 100 kilometres downstream, destroying critical infrastructure including villages, bridges, and hydropower projects.

In an interview segment, Qianggong Zhang, Head of Climate and Environmental Risks at ICIMOD, explains that the avalanche triggering the Rasuwa flash flood originated inside Nepali territory. Because the disaster began on the Nepali side, it fell outside the reach of the Chinese early warning system, raising questions about local monitoring and preparedness gaps.