AU Edition - Today's top story: Emergency warnings weren't enough to save Nepal's flood-ravaged villages. An expert explains August 29, 2026 AU Edition   Stories of tragic loss and lucky escapes in riverside communities are emerging as survivors are hauled from the mud and flood debris in Nepal. The disaster has claimed the lives of at least 469 people and left hundreds more missing, including 39 Australians. Every second can make a difference in the scramble for higher ground, writes Prashidha Khatiwada. Early warning systems must do more than just notify people when a flood is already underway – they need to identify and monitor potential hazards, and forecast where disaster is likely to strike. In Nepal, authorities have known about the risks for years. Within minutes of Wednesday’s flood beginning, some 600,000 mobile warning messages were sent. But for many communities they still came too late. This is why warning systems should be automated wherever possible, writes Khatiwada. Once alerted, people in emergencies respond best when they’ve been well prepared, explains Nirajan Shiwakoti. A simple, rehearsed evacuation response can mean the difference between life and death.   Miki Perkins Environment & Energy Editor   Emergency warnings weren’t enough to save Nepal’s flood-ravaged villages. An expert explains Prashidha Khatiwada, Swinburne University of Technology A catastrophic flash flood ripped through local villages and has claimed hundreds of lives. Nepal’s devastating floods: 10 seconds could save lives Nirajan Shiwakoti, RMIT University Could more lives be saved if people were trained to act immediately when a flood warning arrives? I believe the answer is yes. Satellite images show how the Nepal flood disaster unfolded Levan Tielidze, Monash University; Digital Storytelling Team, The Conversation How the deadly Nepal floods caused damage up to 100km away from a collapsed glacier. 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