Nepal and China resume flood rescue after lake threat eases, death toll tops 500

Nepal and China have resumed rescue operations in the flood-stricken Himalayas after a threat from an overflowing lake was deemed manageable. The catastrophic flood, caused by a glacier collapse on Wednesday, killed 547 people in Nepal and five in China's Tibet, with nearly 1,000 others still missing. The flood caused a torrent of rock, ice, mud, and debris to flow through the Himalayan mountain river systems, forming a lake where water continued to accumulate and rise.

When the lake's reservoir reached 2.5 million cubic meters, it overflowed into the Lhende Khola river and then the Trishuli, prompting panic and the suspension of rescue work for about three hours.

Rescue efforts resumed by noon as authorities deemed the risk manageable. The flood destroyed power stations, roads, and bridges, linking Kathmandu with Lhasa in Tibet and attracting trekkers and pilgrims. Of those missing, at least 540 are foreigners, many of them Hindu pilgrims from India heading to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet.

The death toll in Nepal alone now stands at 469, with an estimated 90,000 people affected, according to the Red Cross. China's Politburo met on Friday to direct rescue work, emphasizing stronger monitoring of glacier lakes, landslide risks, and barrier lakes, as well as emergency aid to affected areas and international disaster cooperation.

President Xi Jinping's meeting called for these measures following the disaster, which prompted China's Premier Li Qiang to arrive in the disaster-stricken area on Thursday.

In Tibet's Gyirong County, the tally of missing reached 558, including 260 foreign nationals. On the Chinese side, just five people have been confirmed dead. However, Nepal has declined foreign rescue help, stating that its search and rescue missions are sufficient. Many families in Nepal are desperately seeking information about their missing loved ones, with some arriving at army bases in search of updates.

President Donald Trump's administration offered assistance to Nepal, expressing concern over the widespread destruction of buildings in the region.