The Bhotekoshi flash flood in Nepal cannot simply be called a natural disaster

From Onlinekhabar English

The Bhotekoshi flash flood in Nepal cannot simply be called a natural disaster. Extreme floods are commonly described using annual exceedance probabilities or return periods—such as 50-, 100- or 500-year events, or even rarer ones. These terms do not tell us when a flood will occur; they describe its estimated probability and magnitude. Even rare events, therefore, need to be considered when the consequences of failure are severe. The real question is: were we prepared for it? A natural hazard alone should not have resulted in this level of human casualties and economic loss. A river has its own right of way. It needs space to flow, expand and, during extreme events, sometimes change its course. But have our planners and decision-makers really respected that? We continue to develop cities, roads, settlements and infrastructure in flood-prone and risk-sensitive areas. We know the risks, yet we often choose what is easier, cheaper and economically attractive today without seriously considering what may happen 20, 50 or 100 years from now. Where is the science in our development decisions? The state of Timure after the Bhotekoshi flood.