Himalayan construction expands in disaster zones, putting 300,000 at potential risk

Built-up land in high-risk areas of northern Nepal, south-eastern Tibet and part of India’s Uttarakhand expanded by about 45% between 2016 and 2023, according to research published in Scientific Reports. Development in areas particularly exposed to glacial-lake flooding grew by almost 78%. The study suggests at least 300,000 people could be living in the path of potential disasters.

The nine researchers examined river corridors and areas around 1,360 glacial lakes, identifying growth in tourism facilities, housing and infrastructure. They cautioned that their limited geographical coverage could understate the population exposed to danger. Nepal’s disaster agency says it plans restrictions along the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi corridor, while Uttarakhand has approved new floodplain zoning rules.

River valleys accommodate hotels, roads, hydropower projects and market towns because their low, flat land is accessible and suitable for building, an urban planning expert told the BBC. Yet local officials and industry representatives describe difficulties relocating existing properties and poorly planned tourism growth, highlighting obstacles to reducing exposure to floods.