When A Flood Crosses A Border: Why India And Nepal Need A Stronger Himalayan Disaster Framework

Natural disasters rarely follow political boundaries. In the Himalayan region, this is particularly evident during floods, when rivers originating in Nepal flow into the plains of India and can affect communities and infrastructure downstream.

The flash floods that swept through parts of Nepal on Wednesday triggered alerts in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, with authorities in both states monitoring the Gandak and Narayani rivers and preparing for a possible rise in water levels. The concern stems from the link between Nepal's Narayani river and India's Gandak river system, as PTI reported.

As the flood situation worsened in Nepal, Bihar authorities opened all 36 gates of the Gandak Barrage at Valmikinagar as a precautionary measure. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials in Maharajganj and Kushinagar to remain on heightened alert.

The Narayani-Gandak Link

The Narayani is the river being monitored in Nepal, while the Gandak is the river system being watched downstream in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, who also holds the water resources department portfolio, said around 86,000 cusecs of water was discharged from the Gandak Barrage at Valmikinagar around noon, with the trend showing a further rise.

"The WRD has taken immediate precautionary measures. All 36 gates of the Gandak Barrage at Valmikinagar have been opened, and a technical team led by a Superintending Engineer has been deployed at the barrage. Warnings have also been issued to all districts in the Gandak river basin," Choudhary said.

Officials said opening all 36 gates of the Gandak Barrage can facilitate the flow of water and help control the flood situation.

The Immediate Concern For India

The immediate concern is whether the flood situation in Nepal will lead to a further rise in water levels downstream.

An advisory was issued after a sudden rise in the water level of Nepal's Trishuli river at Furke Khola was reported. The flood wave is expected to move downstream into the Gandak river, with its intensity likely to reduce as it travels.

Authorities in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh along the India-Nepal border have been asked to remain alert and closely monitor the situation. The focus in both states is on monitoring river levels and ensuring that rescue and relief preparations are in place.

A Geography India Can't Ignore

India and Nepal share a roughly 1,770-km border across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim. The Himalayan terrain makes Nepal particularly important to India's northern security, while the open border allows citizens of both countries to move between them without passports or visas under the bilateral arrangement. India describes Nepal as a priority partner under its "Neighbourhood First" policy.

The geographical relationship extends beyond the border. Several major rivers originating in or passing through Nepal eventually enter the Indian plains, including the Kosi, Gandak and Mahakali. This makes water management a shared concern.

Floods, landslides and other disasters in the Himalayan region can therefore have consequences downstream in India, while decisions on dams, embankments and river management require coordination between the two countries.

Why The Rivers Matter

The rivers are both a source of risk and an opportunity. Nepal has significant hydropower potential, while India is a major nearby market for electricity. The two countries have increasingly linked water cooperation with energy cooperation.

A 2024 Indian government report said the two sides had agreed to work towards increasing Nepal's power exports to India to 10,000 MW over 10 years.

But the same interconnected river systems can magnify the impact of extreme weather. A flood in Nepal does not necessarily remain a Nepal's problem. Water flowing downstream can threaten communities and infrastructure in India's Himalayan and Gangetic states, making timely information-sharing and disaster preparedness a matter of mutual interest.

What India And Nepal Share On Flood Warnings

A December, 2022, press release by the Ministry of Jal Shakti said several trans-boundary tributaries of the Ganga basin, including the Sarda, Ghaghra, Rapti, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla and Kosi, originate from Nepal.

The ministry added, India and Nepal cooperate on drinking water, power, irrigation and flood control through a three-tier bilateral mechanism comprising the Joint Ministerial Level Commission on Water Resources, Joint Committee on Water Resources and Joint Standing Technical Committee.

It also said a Flood Forecasting and Early Warning System for rivers flowing from Nepal to India was in place. Forecasts for common rivers are formulated using meteorological and hydrometeorological data from Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. During the monsoon, these data are updated hourly and used in 24-hour flood forecasts prepared by the Central Water Commission's divisional flood control rooms in Lucknow and Patna.

A July, 2026, release said flood and river management issues between India and Nepal are discussed through mechanisms including the Joint Team on Flood Forecasting, Joint Committee on Kosi and Gandak Projects, Joint Committee on Inundation and Flood Management and Joint Committee on Water Resources.

The same release said the India Meteorological Department and Central Water Commission monitor parameters using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning models to forecast rainfall and floods, including flash floods. Alerts are disseminated through State Emergency Operation Centres, the Sachet App, SMS-based Common Alerting Protocol and the Cell Broadcast System.

Disaster Management Framework

The institutional response extends beyond river monitoring. In India, the Disaster Management Act, 2005 provides the legal and institutional framework for disaster management, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Executive Committee (NEC), National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). These national-level institutions were constituted in 2006, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In Nepal, the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2017 provides for the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Executive Committee. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Nepal's apex disaster-management body, was established in December 2019 under the 2017 Act.

Climate Risks

A research paper published by ScienceDirect, titled Rich water, poor people: Potential for transboundary flood management between Nepal and India, says floods are a recurrent problem in the Kosi and Gandak river basins and are associated with an increasingly erratic monsoon.

It said the impacts are felt in both countries, affecting agriculture, livelihoods and communities, and argued that transboundary collaboration and further development of early-warning systems could help address these risks.

Urban planner and managing principal of CP Kukreja Architects, Dikshu C. Kukreja, told Outlook India that Himalayan infrastructure remains vulnerable because projects are often designed individually rather than as part of a wider mountain system. He said flash floods carry boulders, sediment, trees and debris, while roads and communication routes can fail even when bridges survive.

Kukreja also pointed to repeated hill cutting, disposal of excavated material along slopes, construction over seasonal channels and narrowing of natural flood corridors as factors that weaken the landscape. He said Himalayan infrastructure needs watershed-level assessment, larger safety margins and redundancy, with the objective of preventing natural hazards from becoming avoidable human disasters.

India's Disaster Diplomacy In Action

India's response has also extended to relief assistance. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday that India had dispatched 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies, including essential medicines, to Nepal after the floods.

The supplies, transported by an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft, included temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps and medicines, he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed condolences over the loss of lives in Nepal and said the Indian government was supporting relief efforts. Shah said he had spoken with the Chief Ministers of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh about the possible impact on border areas.

He added that the NDRF had been placed on high alert along with local administrations and relief and rescue teams in areas where the impact could be felt.