Paradigm Shift in Mountain Disaster Management: Critical Appraisal of Transboundary Mountain Tsunamis, Subsurface Tunnel Entrapments, and Buried Settlement Recovery

Abstract

This paper deals with search, rescue and recovery efforts after disasters in the Himalayas. These disasters include transboundary mountain tsunamis and powerful debris flows that move quickly through steep river valleys. It also examines problems like people being trapped inside tunnels and buildings that get buried under several meters of rocks and debris. The paper stresses the need for decisions made by experts, stronger buildings, systems that can close tunnel entrances during emergencies and better planning that takes risk into account. A technical framework is introduced that uses hydrodynamic numerical modeling, quantitative simulations, UAV-borne LiDAR, Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR), acoustic ground-penetrating investigations, and building resilience guidelines. The study uses disaster events in Nepal to improve how hazards are understood how emergency response is handled and how infrastructure is rebuilt after a disaster, in the context of high-risk Himalayan terrains.