Is Nepal's flood a harbinger of what's to come in the Himalayas?

Building dams and hydropower plants in the Himalayas holds great promise for providing electricity. In the wake of the Nepal disaster, experts are asking about the risks of such construction.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5184x3456+0+0/resize/5184x3456!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa2%2Fc2%2Fecc41850413dbdeeb4b1ccd9692d%2Fnepal-dam-2294347827.jpg' alt='The Nepali Army conducts a search-and-rescue operation on Sept. 10 inside the Chilime Hydropower Station tunnel days after the deadly flash floods and mudslides in Nepal's Rasuwa district in August. In the wake of the disaster, concerns are being raised about the impact of the construction of hydropower plants and dams in the Himalayas.'/><p>Building dams and hydropower plants in the Himalayas holds great promise for providing electricity. In the wake of the Nepal disaster, experts are asking about the risks of such construction.</p><p>(Image credit: Skanda Gautam/AFP)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=g-s1-144536' />