Nepal-China flood rescue on hold as lake breaks banks
The death toll from the Himalayan flash floods has climbed to 469, with more than 1,000 still missing. Meanwhile, authorities warn an overflowing lake formed by debris could trigger a second wave of flooding.
Two days after catastrophic flash floods struck the Nepal-China border, rescue efforts resumed as a flood lake broke its banks, threatening areas already devastated by the disaster. Narendra Pariyar, the senior bureaucrat of Rasuwa district, confirmed the lake's overflow, with rising river levels seen by residents fleeing to higher ground.
Nepal's death toll rose to 579, up from 390, while China revised its death count to between three and five in Tibet. Over 2,000 people are still missing, including over 500 foreigners from more than 30 countries. The International Red Cross estimated that more than 93,000 people have been directly affected, requiring immediate humanitarian aid.
The United Nations warned of further cascading hazards, emphasizing that the disaster is far from over. China's Ministry of Water Resources reported the lake held roughly 2 million cubic meters of water, with an additional 3 million cubic meters expected over three days. Rescue teams from China and Nepal have begun their mission, but Nepal has declined foreign assistance, stating its security agencies are managing the response.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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