Kathmandu, Sept. 7 -- On 31 July this newspaper carried a report titled 'Kathmandu's Flash Floods Are 4 Decades in the Making'. The analysis by Tom Robertson stated that there was nothing 'sudden' about floods in Kathmandu Valley, and they would get much worse.

We derive no satisfaction in saying, 'we told you so.' On the night of 5 September the capital received over 120mm of rain in 24 hours. The rain was heaviest recorded in the Valley for decades.

Monsoon modelling by the South Asia Climate Outlook Forum had predicted 20% higher than normal rainfall in most of Nepal this year, but the total precipitation has been even heavier than that in many places causing death anddestruction.The rains have been sustained and relentless, and we s...