Disasters Similar to Nepal's Flash Floods Could Threaten the US

3 hours ago 9

September 10, 2026 | 02:19 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A geologist from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Holly Weiss-Racine, said the potential for destructive mountain river flows—similar to the trigger behind the recent disaster in Nepal—has also been identified in Mount Rainier, Washington.

As quoted by ANTARA, Weiss-Racine explained that lahars, which are fast-moving flows of water mixed with volcanic rock and debris, pose the greatest volcanic hazard in the Cascade Range because of their extensive reach and destructive potential.

More than 90,000 people live within Mount Rainier’s lahar hazard zones, while a potential eruption-related lahar could affect millions.

At 4,392 meters (14,411 feet), Mount Rainier is the highest volcano in Washington.

The lahar is estimated to travel tens of kilometers, destroying buildings and infrastructure along the way.

According to the USGS, at least 11 large lahars have swept down from Mount Rainier and reached the Puget Sound lowlands over the past 6,000 years.

Earlier, a flash flood struck northern Nepal on the morning of August 26 after a massive surge of water overflowed into the Bhotekoshi River.

The flood occurred after a glacier melted and triggered a landslide. The death toll from the flood has surpassed 1,300, with more than 5,500 people reported missing.

Read: VP Gibran Inspects Forest Fire Response in Central Kalimantan

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