India to supply power to flood-hit Nepal till December 31

India has approved the export of power for 18 hours a day to the Nepal Electricity Authority till the 31st of December this year. The Ministry of Power said the approval has been given for to six hundred megawatts of export through the Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar line and to 54 megawatts through the Tanakpur-Mahendranagar line. 
The recent floods have caused significant damage to hydropower infrastructure in Nepal, reducing its domestic power generation capacity and creating an additional requirement for electricity. The Ministry said that the approval given since Monday will help Nepal meet its power requirements during this difficult period and further strengthen the close and longstanding energy cooperation between India and Nepal. It added that India remains committed to supporting Nepal and strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.
The flooding, triggered on August 26 by a glacial mountain collapse on the China-Nepal border, killed more than 1,400 people in Nepal and Tibet. At least 12 hydropower projects in Nepal were hit, with at least 900 power station workers among the more than 5,500 people still missing in the country. Almost 100 percent of the country’s energy needs were met by hydropower before the floods hit. Since then, Nepal has been forced to import electricity after years of exporting surplus energy to India.
Nepali officials say at least $5bn is needed for initial rebuilding, adding that the disaster shows how climate change has hit poor countries that did little to cause it.The ‌Himalayas, where Nepal is nestled, are approaching a tipping point as glaciers melt ⁠faster than a decade ⁠ago, threatening water security as the region approaches “peak water” by mid-century, according to a study released this month.