The Impact of Tibet-Nepal Floods and China’s Role

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The recent floods in Tibet and Nepal on August 26 have left 1,453 dead and 5,200 missing within Nepal alone. In contrast, the Tibetan situation remains obscure due to Chinese control, where basic rights and even death recognition are withheld by Beijing’s information restrictions.

On the day the disaster struck, Kyirong County in Tibet initiated a WeChat alert system for reporting missing persons. However, this system was abruptly shut down after registering 219 missing individuals, says a source from Kathmandu. Social media is censored, and those who challenge the official death toll, which is a mere 43, could face fines or detention.

Critics argue these controls aim to divert attention from the disaster’s root causes.

There is a call from Himalayan communities and civil societies to stop large dam constructions. Researchers and critics link these regional catastrophes to China’s aggressive dam development across Tibetan rivers. Yet, China keeps extending its reach over the Himalayas by investing in over a quarter of Nepal’s 570 hydropower initiatives. This is seen as a geopolitical tactic to reduce Nepal’s dependence on Indian energy sources.

The construction of vast reservoirs beneath diminishing Himalayan glaciers poses significant environmental hazards. The reservoirs create heat sinks under the sun, leading to warming effects similar to those seen in expanding glacial lakes. Scientists have warned for decades about the risks of glacial lakes bursting due to warming. The rising temperatures speed up glacial melting, forming larger and more hazardous lakes.

A historical perspective highlights mismanagement. A 9th-century treaty stressed harmony, and a traditional proverb reflects reliance on natural resources. Tibet thrives on its plateau, while Chinese policies often disregard Tibetan ecology and wisdom.

Today, global societies value Indigenous knowledge in addressing ecological issues. In contrast, China is intensifying efforts to suppress Tibetan culture. This is reminiscent of the Indian residential school system, which had catastrophic effects.

If China overlooks the seismic and ecological outcomes of its actions in the Himalayas, the threat of catastrophic glacial floods grows. This oversight extends beyond Tibet, affecting neighboring regions, including China itself.

China’s massive dam infrastructure, should it fail, poses a risk of disasters like the 1931 Yangtze River flood. This risk is not limited to China but extends to countries like India, Nepal, and others in the region.

The 6th-century poet Yu Xin encouraged reflection on ancestral wisdom. China’s leadership should consider this wisdom over suppressing Tibetan culture, which could hold solutions to climate challenges.

Tenzin Bhagen (Yeshi Dorje) is a Tibetan writer and former journalist with experience in environmental protection in the Himalayas.