Nepalese officials have revealed that three months before the catastrophic flash flood, China declined Nepal’s request for glacier‑risk and water‑level data, raising fresh concerns about Beijing’s opacity in managing transboundary rivers and glaciers. The disaster, triggered by the collapse of a mountainside carrying a glacier, has devastated large parts of Nepal and Tibet, pushing scrutiny on China’s data‑sharing practices to new levels.
On 27 May, a delegation of 10 Nepali officials met around a dozen Chinese counterparts to discuss cooperation on flood monitoring, weather hazards, and glacier‑related risks, according to Reuters. Nepal sought joint risk‑reduction measures, including glacial‑lake inventories and hazard mapping. However, two Nepali hydrologists said China did not share the level of information Nepal had requested, limiting Nepal’s ability to prepare for potential disasters.
Hydrologist Sauhardra Joshi said Nepal urgently needs early warnings: “What we actually wanted from them, and still want, is early information on glacier movements.” Another hydrologist, Binod Parajuli, said Chinese officials claimed they lacked the mandate to sign an agreement meeting Nepal’s requests, calling instead for further discussions.
The disaster has intensified criticism of China’s construction of massive dams in geologically sensitive Himalayan regions, with experts warning that limited transparency could worsen risks for downstream countries.
The death toll from the flood has now risen to 903, with 4,247 people still missing, making it one of the region’s worst natural disasters in recent years. Nepal is now seeking an India‑like data‑sharing arrangement with China, aiming for real‑time cooperation on river flows, glacial‑lake outburst floods, and avalanche monitoring.