The day after the central Nepal flood

A 4.4 magnitude earthquake near the Nepal-China border on August 26 triggered a massive avalanche on the north face of Langtang Lirung, a mountain with a history of deadly collapses since the 2015 earthquake killed at least 300 people in the same area. The resulting debris blocked the Lhende Khola river, and when the impounded lake burst, a wall of mud and boulders tore down the Trisuli River into Nepal.

By August 27 the official death toll had passed 160 and was expected to reach the hundreds, with bodies and debris spotted 200 kilometers downstream. At least six hydropower plants, transmission lines, and a showcase 25-megawatt solar plant were destroyed or buried, along with a dozen bridges and highways.

Unlike last year's Rasuwagadhi flood, when Chinese authorities reportedly warned Nepali counterparts in advance, this year there was no warning at all. The disaster lands on a government less than six months old, elected after last year's protests, now facing rescue and rebuilding costs expected to run into the billions.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.