Nepal, China warn of fresh flood risks with lakes threatening to burst

TRISHULI, NEPAL / BEIJING: Both Nepal and China issued warnings on Thursday regarding heightened flood risks in the Himalayas, as two lakes near their shared border potentially prepare to break. Search and rescue operations persist in the flood-ravaged valleys and hills, leaving approximately 1,000 individuals unaccounted for following Wednesday's catastrophic flood that claimed at least 362 lives.

Both nations attribute the disaster to a glacier collapse that forced a mix of rock, ice, mud, and debris into mountain river systems. Nepal's disaster authority has issued a notice urging residents and rescue personnel to exercise extreme caution and maintain a safe distance from riverbanks and hazardous zones. Meanwhile, China has forecast that 3 million cubic meters of water—equivalent to roughly 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools—are anticipated to surge into a previously dammed lake on its side of the border within the next three days, posing a significant risk of a breach, with peak flow expected around September 1.

As more rain is predicted to further elevate the threat, Chinese state media cited the water resources ministry, stating that the rising water volume and escalating risk are of growing concern. In response to the alert, rescue workers in Nepal have begun evacuating to higher ground, including Pawan Koirala, who left the riverbed with a team of 13 after receiving the warning.

Koirala expressed his intention to stay away from the danger zone while continuing his rescue efforts.