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Flood survivors receive medical treatment at a military base in Nuwakot district, Nepal, on the 28th local time. / EPA, Yonhap

Experts have analyzed that the lack of an early warning system caused hundreds of casualties in the massive floods and landslides that swept through the Himalayan mountain regions along the border between Nepal and Tibet, China.

In a commentary published in its India edition on the 27th local time, the scientific journal Nature pointed out, based on existing research and views from scientists and disaster experts, that while early warning systems utilizing remote sensors, cameras, and satellite monitoring are being operated on a pilot basis in parts of Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, and China, their limited coverage remains a critical problem.

Residents in downstream settlements have only about 5 to 30 minutes to evacuate before flood surges strike after an event occurs. Even this window is only possible if automated detection and warning systems are in place.

Installing sensors and maintaining equipment at high altitudes exceeding 5,000 meters above sea level pose significant logistical challenges, incur high costs, and can only be carried out during a brief window in the summer.

In the case of Nepal, the fact that disaster-prone zones span transboundary river basins is also cited as a major obstacle.

Because some of the monitoring facilities for glaciers and upstream areas are located in Chinese territory, swift responses to disaster risks require bilateral cooperation, such as data sharing, between the two countries; however, sufficient cooperation is lacking.

Across the Himalayas, more than 200 glacial lakes are categorized as posing severe threats to downstream communities.

Recent research has also presented new evidence showing that even smaller glacial lakes can pose substantial risks.

Scientists have long warned that the frequency of glacial avalanches, such as this latest disaster, is on the rise.

                                                                                                             Kim Hyun-min