While the August 26 floods in Nepal caught everyone by surprise, that there was a flood risk was not new information, with the surging waters only serving a reminder on the challenges of development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya.

The flash floods two weeks ago swallowed settlements in Nepal, damaged hydropower projects and left thousands of homes in need of rebuilding

While the August 26 floods in Nepal caught everyone by surprise, that there was a flood risk was not new information, with the surging waters only serving a reminder on the…