Kosi fan tutte (APOD 30 Aug 2008)

[neufer]

<<The Kosi River, called Koshi in Nepal is a transboundary river between Nepal and India, and is one of the largest tributaries of the Ganga. The watershed includes part of Tibet, such as the Mount Everest region, and the eastern third of Nepal.
[ http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080830.html ]

Formerly Kauśiki (named after sage Viśvāmitra because Viśvāmitra is said to have attained the status of Vedic ṛṣi or Rishi on its banks; Viśvāmitra was descendant of sage Kuśika and was called Kauśika in Rgveda). This river is mentioned in the epic Mahabharata as Kauśiki. Seven Koshis join together to form the Saptakoshi River/Sapt Koshi which is popularly known as the Koshi.

The Kosi river fan located in the northern part of India (in northeast Bihar and eastern Mithila) is one of the largest alluvial cones built by any river in the world.
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kosi ... ourses.JPG ]
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<<[Mozart's] title, Così fan tutte, is often translated as "Women are like that [i.e., fickle]". The theme "fiancée swapping" which dates back to the 13th century, with notable earlier versions being those of Boccaccio's Decameron and Shakespeare's play Cymbeline.>>
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On August 18, 2008, the Kosi river picked up an old channel it had abandoned over 100 years ago near the border with Nepal and India. Approximately 2.7 million people were reported affected as the river broke its embankment at Kusaha in Nepal, thus submerging several districts of Nepal and India. 95% of total flow of the Koshi was reported flowing through the new course.

[ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsro ... g_id=18144 ]

It has not been possible to assess the magnitude of deaths or destruction, because the affected areas are totally inaccessible. 150 persons are reported to have been washed away in a single incident.

The fury of the Kosi river left at least 2.5 million people marooned in eight districts of Bihar and inundated 65,000 hectares. The prime Minister of India declared it a national calamity. The Indian army and non-government organizations were operating the biggest flood rescue operation in India in more than 50 years.

At present, in the Himalayan region, glaciers are melting and retreating resulting in formation of lakes insecurely dammed by ice or moraines. These dams are at risk of failing, causing a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) with flows as great as 10,000 cubic meters a second. Such floods are likely to destroy communication systems and various infrastructures like bridges roads, hydropower projects (directly or indirectly), foot trails, villages, fields and terraces, irrigation canals, and could cost hundreds or even thousands of lives.>>

[henk21cm]

<<[Mozart's] title, Così fan tutte, is often translated as "Women are like that [i.e., fickle]". >>

"All do such things"

Cosi : this way, that particular action
fan : do, act (plural of fare)
tutte : all (plural of tutto)

Regards,
 Henk