Floods in Nepal Sweep Away Whole Villages
Listen to the story
Severe floods have hit Nepal, washing away entire villages in a sudden disaster. Videos of the destruction show how quickly the water destroyed homes and land.
The Trishuli River overflowed rapidly, and within just six hours, the flood changed the shape of the local landscape. Villages that once stood along the riverbank have completely disappeared.
Satellite images taken before and after the flood clearly show the extent of the damage. Nine images compare the area's appearance before the disaster with its state afterward, revealing how settlements along the river were swept away.
The flooding has also affected neighbouring India. The states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have been placed on alert, meaning officials are preparing for possible flooding in these areas too. The NDRF, India's National Disaster Response Force, has been deployed to help with rescue and relief efforts.
This disaster highlights how fast-moving floods can transform a landscape and destroy communities in a very short time. Authorities on both sides of the border are monitoring the situation closely as rescue operations continue.
Vocabulary10 words
- disaster
- a very bad event that causes great harm
- satellite
- a device in space that takes pictures of Earth
- alert
- a warning to be ready for danger
- NDRF
- an Indian team that helps during emergencies
- deployed
- sent somewhere to do a job
- landscape
- the natural shape and look of an area of land
- overflow
- when water rises and spreads beyond its usual space
- settlement
- a small place where people live
- riverbank
- the land at the edge of a river
- relief
- help given to people after a disaster
Quiz
Answer key
1. A sudden flood from the Trishuli River 2. The area before and after the flood 3. Because they may also be affected by flooding
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Severe floods have hit Nepal, washing away entire villages in a sudden _____. Videos of the destruction show how quickly the water destroyed homes and land.
The Trishuli River overflowed rapidly, and within just six hours, the flood changed the shape of the local _____.
_____ images taken before and after the flood clearly show the extent of the damage.
The flooding has also affected neighbouring India. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have been placed on _____, and the _____ has been deployed to help with rescue efforts.
This disaster highlights how fast-moving floods can transform a landscape and destroy _____ in a very short time.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think floods can happen so quickly and unexpectedly?
- What kind of preparations do you think countries should make for sudden floods?
- How might satellite images help people understand and respond to natural disasters?
- What challenges do rescue teams like NDRF face during a flood emergency?