Nepal hydropower infrastructure devastated by glacial collapse

A devastating glacial mountain collapse on the China-Nepal border has caused massive destruction to Nepal's hydropower infrastructure, killing over 1,400 people and leaving thousands missing. The disaster knocked approximately 410 megawatts—about 10 percent of the nation's total generation capacity—out of the power system, prompting authorities to suspend electricity exports to India and Bangladesh.

The Nepali Army reported that tunnel-based search and rescue operations were the most difficult aspect of the response. Despite these challenges, seven people were rescued alive from hydropower project tunnels using drilling machines, excavators, and thermal cameras. However, the recovery efforts also resulted in the retrieval of numerous bodies, including 37 from one site and five from the Chilime tunnel.

The scale of the damage has raised significant concerns regarding Nepal's energy security and its reliance on hydropower, which provides over 90 percent of the country's electricity. Industry leaders suggest the disaster necessitates a rethink of the nation's dam-building strategies as climate and geological risks, such as retreating glaciers and thawing permafrost, intensify.