Assessing the Prospects of Transboundary Multihazard Dynamics: The Case of Bhotekoshi–Sunkoshi Watershed in Sino–Nepal Border Region

Suraj Lamichhane, Komal Raj Aryal, Rocky Talchabhadel, Bhesh Raj Thapa, Rabindra Adhikari, Anoj Khanal, Vishnu Prasad Pandey and Dipendra Gautam
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Suraj Lamichhane: Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, Lalitpur 44601, Nepal
Komal Raj Aryal: Faulty of Resilience, Rabdan Academy, Abu Dhabi 114646, United Arab Emirates
Rocky Talchabhadel: Interdisciplinary Research Institute for Sustainability (IRIS), Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
Bhesh Raj Thapa: Interdisciplinary Research Institute for Sustainability (IRIS), Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
Rabindra Adhikari: Interdisciplinary Research Institute for Sustainability (IRIS), Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
Anoj Khanal: Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board, Lalitpur 44601, Nepal
Vishnu Prasad Pandey: Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, Lalitpur 44601, Nepal
Dipendra Gautam: Interdisciplinary Research Institute for Sustainability (IRIS), Kathmandu 44600, Nepal

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-29

Abstract: The impacts of multihazards have become more pronounced over the past few decades globally. Multiple hazards and their cascading impacts claim enormous losses of lives, livelihoods, and built environment. This paradigm prompts integrated and multidisciplinary perspectives to identify, characterize, and assess the occurrence of multihazards and subsequently design countermeasures considering impending multihazard scenarios at the local level. To this end, we considered one of the most egregious transboundary watersheds, which is regarded as a multihazard hotspot of Nepal, to analyze the underlying causes and cascade scenarios of multihazards, and their associated impacts. In this paper, geophysical, hydrometeorological, and socioeconomic perspectives are formulated to characterize the watershed from the dimension of susceptibility to multihazard occurrence. To characterize the complex dynamics of transboundary multihazard occurrence, insights have been presented from both the Nepali and the Chinese sides. Individual case studies and the interrelation matrix between various natural hazards are also presented so as to depict multihazard consequences in the transboundary region. The sum of the observations highlights that the watershed is highly vulnerable to a single as well as multiple natural hazards that often switch to disasters.

Keywords: Bhotekoshi–Sunkoshi watershed; geophysical hazard; hydrometeorological hazard; multihazard; socioeconomy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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