MAINS Current Affairs includes Nepal Flash Flood Disaster & Nuclear Energy in India

Geography / Disaster Management

1. Nepal Flash Flood Disaster

Context

• A flash flood recently occurred in the Lhende Khola–Bhote Koshi river system in Nepal, highlighting the potential for cascading impacts on downstream regions of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
• The Bhote Koshi River valley is an important route connecting Kathmandu with Lhasa in Tibet.

About Flash Flood

• A flash flood is a sudden and rapid rise of water that generally occurs within a few hours due to:
  • Intense rainfall;
  • Cloudbursts;
  • Dam or embankment failure; or
  • Sudden release of water from glaciers or landslide-dammed lakes.
• Flash floods are particularly destructive because of their high velocity and very short warning time, unlike gradual riverine floods.
• Their severity is amplified by:
  • Steep terrain;
  • Narrow valleys; and
  • Rapidly responding catchments.
• They are among the most difficult hydro-meteorological hazards to forecast because of their rapid onset, short hydrological response time and limited warning window.

Recent Examples

1. Nepal Flash Flood

• The event appears to have resulted from a combination of meteorological and geological factors.
• Intense rainfall associated with a Western Disturbance and its interaction with prevailing weather systems may have contributed.
• Sudden release of water and debris from a high-altitude glacial or unstable mountain region has also been examined as a possible trigger.
• The event highlights the increasing fragility of the Himalayan ecosystem.

2. Himalayan Region

• India and the wider Himalayan region have experienced several major disasters, including:
  • Kedarnath disaster (2013);
  • Chamoli flash flood (2021);
  • Recurrent floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh; and
  • Recent cloudburst-induced disasters in Jammu & Kashmir.

Possible Reasons for Flash Floods

1. Extreme Precipitation and Cloudbursts

• Short-duration, high-intensity rainfall can rapidly overwhelm drainage systems and mountain streams.

2. Western Disturbance–Monsoon Interaction

• Interaction between large-scale atmospheric systems can intensify rainfall over the Himalayan region.

3. Climate Change

• A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, potentially increasing the intensity of extreme precipitation.
• Glacier retreat and the expansion of glacial lakes can also increase the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).

4. Geomorphological Factors

• The Himalayas are young and geologically fragile mountains.
• Steep slopes and unstable sediments promote rapid runoff, landslides and debris flows.

5. Anthropogenic Factors

• Deforestation, unplanned construction, floodplain encroachment and poorly designed infrastructure can:
  • Reduce natural water absorption;
  • Obstruct drainage; and
  • Increase flood vulnerability.

India’s Vulnerability

• India faces significant flash-flood risks because of its:
  • Himalayan arc;
  • Northeast region; and
  • Western Ghats.
• Rapidly urbanising areas with inadequate drainage further increase vulnerability.
• Himalayan States face compound risks involving:
  • Cloudbursts;
  • Landslides; and
  • Glacial hazards.
• Transboundary rivers, including the Kosi and Gandak, can transfer upstream risks into densely populated Indian plains.
• Hence, cooperation with neighbouring countries is essential for effective disaster-risk reduction.

Impacts

• Flash floods can result in:
  • Loss of human lives and livestock;
  • Destruction of houses, roads and bridges;
  • Damage to hydropower infrastructure;
  • Agricultural and livelihood losses;
  • Landslides and debris flows;
  • Contamination of water supplies; and
  • Disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities.
• Repeated disasters can also reverse development gains and impose significant financial burdens on governments.

Global Efforts & Initiatives

• Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030):
  • Emphasises understanding disaster risks;
  • Strengthening disaster governance; and
  • Investing in resilience.
• WMO’s Early Warnings for All Initiative:
  • Seeks universal protection through effective multi-hazard early-warning systems.
• Hindu Kush Himalaya Cooperation:
  • International cooperation is important for data sharing, glacier monitoring and early identification of mountain hazards.

India’s Efforts & Initiatives

• Disaster Management Act: Provides the institutional and legal framework for disaster management.
• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): Develops guidelines and strengthens disaster preparedness and risk reduction.
• India Meteorological Department (IMD): Provides weather forecasting and severe-weather warnings.
• Central Water Commission (CWC): Supports flood forecasting and hydrological monitoring.
• Flash Flood Guidance System (FFGS): Improves forecasting of short-duration flood events.
• Satellite-Based Monitoring: Helps monitor rainfall, terrain, river systems and evolving hazards.
• Doppler Weather Radars: Improve real-time observation of severe weather systems.
• Geological Survey of India (GSI): Contributes to assessment of geological hazards such as landslides.
• Disaster-Response Agencies: Support preparedness, rescue, relief and emergency response.

Way Forward

• Adopt a basin-based and multi-hazard approach combining:
  • Advanced weather forecasting;
  • Real-time river monitoring;
  • Glacier and glacial-lake monitoring;
  • Risk-sensitive land-use planning; and
  • Climate-resilient infrastructure.
• Strengthen community-based early-warning systems so that forecasts are converted into timely evacuation and protective action.
• Promote transboundary data sharing and cooperation among Himalayan countries for rainfall, river discharge, glacier and hazard information.
• Ensure development in fragile mountain ecosystems is guided by:
  • Carrying-capacity assessments;
  • Environmental safeguards; and
  • Risk-sensitive infrastructure planning.
• Shift from a predominantly post-disaster relief approach towards anticipatory action and climate-resilient development.

Conclusion

• Flash floods in the Himalayas demonstrate that disasters are increasingly cascading, transboundary and multi-hazard events.
• Effective management therefore requires more than emergency relief; it demands scientific forecasting, resilient infrastructure, responsible land-use planning and community preparedness.
• For India, strengthening cooperation with neighbouring Himalayan countries and adopting an anticipatory, basin-level disaster-management strategy will be crucial to reducing future losses.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2. Nuclear Energy in India

In News

• India is strengthening nuclear energy as a secure, sustainable and future-ready pillar of development through the SHANTI Act, 2025, the Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat and indigenous nuclear technologies.

Nuclear Energy

• Nuclear power plants generate electricity from the heat released through controlled nuclear fission.
• The heat is used to boil water, producing steam that drives a turbine connected to an electrical generator.
• Nuclear power provides electricity for households, industries and essential services within a system of multiple safety barriers and regulatory oversight.

Status of Nuclear Energy in India

• India’s nuclear power programme dates back to the commissioning of the Tarapur Atomic Power Station in 1969.
• Nuclear energy provides reliable, low-carbon electricity to support economic growth.
• India currently has 24 nuclear power reactors with an installed capacity of 78 GW.
  • Another 9 reactor units with a total capacity of 5 GW are under development.
• In 2026, India commissioned the world’s first nuclear process-heat-based hydrogen-generating plant at Kalpakkam.
  • The indigenous technology supports clean energy, energy security, Net Zero and the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
• The Government has also approved:
  • 10 indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) in fleet mode; and
  • Pre-project activities for two 500 MW Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs).

Steps Taken and Various Developments

India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Programme

• India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme, conceived by Homi J. Bhabha in 1954, aims to utilise indigenous resources and ensure long-term energy security.
• Stage I – PHWRs:
  • Uses natural uranium as fuel.
  • Spent fuel is reprocessed to recover plutonium.
• Stage II – Fast Breeder Reactors:
  • Uses plutonium to generate electricity.
  • Also produces additional fissile material, including Uranium-233 from thorium.
• Stage III – Thorium Utilisation:
  • Uses U-233 to exploit India’s large thorium reserves.
• A major milestone was achieved in April 2026, when the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam achieved first criticality, marking the beginning of Stage II.

Nuclear Energy Mission

• The Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat aims to achieve 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.
• It has earmarked ₹20,000 crore for the development of indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
• The target is to have at least five SMRs operational by 2033.

SHANTI Act, 2025

• The SHANTI Act, 2025 provides the legal framework for the safe, secure and future-ready development of India’s nuclear-energy programme.
• It seeks to facilitate wider participation and create greater regulatory certainty in the nuclear sector.

International Cooperation

• India works closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on:
  • Nuclear safety;
  • Nuclear security; and
  • Nuclear safeguards.

Applications of Nuclear Technology

1. Energy

• Nuclear power is a low-carbon source of reliable electricity.
• According to the given source, 1 GW of nuclear capacity in FY 2025–26 avoided around 5.4 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions.

2. Healthcare

• Nuclear technology supports:
  • Early disease detection;
  • Precision cancer treatment;
  • Medical imaging; and
  • Advanced medical research.
• Institutions such as BARC, IGCAR, Tata Memorial Centre, TIFR and Harish-Chandra Research Institute contribute to indigenous radiopharmaceuticals, imaging technologies and cancer therapies.
• Indigenous radiation technology has also been used to sterilise 53 crore medical devices.

3. Agriculture

• Radiation-induced mutagenesis and crossbreeding help develop improved crop varieties. Nuclear technology contributes to agriculture through the production of improved crop varieties by use of radiation-induced mutagenesis and crossbreeding.
• These varieties have higher yields, larger seed size, superior quality features, early maturation and increased tolerance to drought, heat, salinity and diseases.

4. Food Storage and Preservation

• Radiation technology has a role to play in food preservation by increasing the shelf life of agricultural produce, fish and spices and decreasing spoilage.
• Shelf life extension of mangoes has made cost-effective export by sea route possible, while the shelf life extension of onions and potatoes decreases spoilage and provides economic benefits to farmers.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has allowed radiation processing of several food items

5. Mining and Rare Earth Elements

• Nuclear analytical techniques assist in:
  • Mineral exploration;
  • Resource characterisation;
  • Ore assessment;
  • Extraction; and
  • Quality control.
• India has issued its first Certified Reference Material (CRM) for Rare Earth Elements — Ferrocarbonatite (FC), BARC B1401.
  • It is stated to be the first of its kind in India and fourth globally.

6. Semiconductors and Electronics

• Nuclear research contributes specialised materials and high-purity isotopes required for advanced electronics and semiconductor manufacturing.
• India has established its first Electronics Grade (99.8%) Boron-11 Enrichment Facility at Talcher for semiconductor applications.

7. Green Hydrogen

• Nuclear energy can support low-carbon hydrogen production by combining continuous electricity generation with high-temperature process heat.
• This can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and emissions associated with conventional hydrogen production.

Safety Measures

• Indian nuclear power stations are planned and developed on the principle of Defence-in-Depth, i.e., several safety layers, redundant systems and physical barriers to prevent accidents and radioactive releases.
• Plants are constructed to survive earthquakes, floods, cyclones and tsunamisand are further protected by routine monitoring, emergency shutdown and cooling systems.
• Radiation safety is ensured as per the ALARA concept, AERB prescribed dosage limits, dedicated Health Physics Units, shielding, protective equipment and training.
• Radioactive waste is treated, discharged under control, disposed of in engineered disposal facilities and regularly monitored in the environment as per AERB norms.
• In India, BARC has developed an indigenous method for vitrification of high-level radioactive waste into stable glass blocks for long-term management.

Conclusion

• Nuclear energy is emerging as an important pillar of India’s strategy for energy security, technological self-reliance, low-carbon development and national prosperity.
• Its applications extend beyond electricity to healthcare, agriculture, food preservation, mining, semiconductors and green hydrogen.
• Programmes such as the Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat and the SHANTI Act seek to create a stronger and more innovation-driven nuclear ecosystem.
• At the same time, independent regulatory oversight, robust safety standards, improved reactor designs, radioactive-waste management and emergency preparedness remain essential.
• As India works towards Viksit Bharat 2047 and Net Zero emissions by 2070, nuclear energy can play a significant role in achieving sustainable development and long-term energy security.

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