The University of Dayton's Umesh Haritashya is helping an international group of scientists investigate the catastrophic flash flood that struck the Nepal-Tibet border Wednesday.
Haritashya, a professor of geology and environmental geosciences and director of UD’s sustainability program, has spent more than two decades studying glaciers, glacial lakes and natural hazards in the Himalayas and other high-mountain regions. His research uses satellite imagery and field data to understand how changing glaciers and unstable mountain landscapes can contribute to landslides, debris flows and flooding.
CNN interviewed him and The Wall Street Journal quoted him about the magnitude of the disaster.
Haritashya's research has long focused on understanding and reducing the risks of such floods. His work has received more than $4.1 million in NASA funding since 2011.
Haritashya also was part of an international team that studied the catastrophic October 2023 Himalayan flood. Their findings, published in Science in 2025, highlighted the need for improved disaster preparedness and climate resilience in vulnerable mountain communities.
“The October 2023 flood demonstrates the urgent need to rethink disaster preparedness and climate resilience in vulnerable mountain regions,” Haritashya said when discussing that paper.
Media interested in interviewing Haritashya can email mediarelations@udayton.edu.