Landslide dam outburst in Myagdi, Nepal: Early warning and preparedness key to minimizing disaster

The young Himalayan geology, steep terrain, and variable climate make Nepal extremely vulnerable to natural hazards such as floods, landslides, and earthquakes. The May 2015 Gorkha earthquake and its aftershocks triggered thousands of landslides and subsequent landslide dams increasing risk to people and infrastructure downstream. On May 24 a landslide with an estimated volume of about 300,000 m3 occurred in Baisari, Myagdi district, blocking the Kaligandaki river. The landslide buried the entire village, including 27 homes, under about 30 m of landslide debris. The landslide dam breached at around16 hours after its formation. The estimated peak discharge from the landslide dam was about 1291 m3/s. Timely evacuation of the people, early warning, and coordination between the District Disaster management committee and the Army prevented human casualties and damage to infrastructure.