Nepal, China warn of fresh flood risks as lake threatens to burst

Nepal and China have issued fresh warnings about potential flooding, as a lake on their shared border threatens to burst. The Rasuwa district in Nepal received notice on Friday that the lake had already overflowed, just two days after a flash flood hit the region. Senior bureaucrat Narendra Pariyar reported that the water level in the river is rising, but the exact height remains unclear.

Authorities in Nepal have halted rescue operations for the next 90 minutes, and helicopter rescues in the affected district have been suspended. Locals are reportedly rushing uphill, according to a Reuters witness. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV also issued a warning about the lake upstream of the Gyirong border port beginning to overflow.

Aerial footage captured by a Chinese rescue team on Thursday revealed a growing lake, with masses of brown water accumulating in an area without an apparent outlet. The water had already submerged vegetation and appeared to be pushing against a barrier of debris and stones. Rescuers and residents in lower-lying areas in Nepal had already been instructed to evacuate to higher ground, and all Chinese personnel and vehicles had also relocated to safer zones due to the escalating risks of the lake breaking and possible secondary disasters like mountain collapses and avalanches.

The death toll in Nepal has risen to 469 confirmed fatalities, with nearly 1,000 others missing after the flash flood that struck border areas and neighboring Tibet on Wednesday. The glacier collapse sent a massive surge of rock, ice, mud, and debris cascading through Himalayan mountain river systems.