New flood risks impede Nepal, Tibet rescue

Rescue efforts continued as deadly floods and landslides continued to complicate relief operations in Nepal and Tibet. A glacial collapse triggered a massive flow of icy debris, burying homes, bridges, and vehicles while sweeping away trekkers and Hindu pilgrims. Over 1,400 people were confirmed dead, with more than 1,400 still missing, including foreigners in Nepal.

The threat of further flooding prompted China to pause rescue operations in the hardest-hit Gyirong region, though water levels later appeared to be decreasing. Chinese President Xi Jinping offered Nepal assistance. In Nepal, rescuers struggled to reach survivors trapped in tunnels, with some 350 individuals saved from the Trishuli 3A hydropower project.

Families anxiously awaited news of missing loved ones, with one mother demanding her son's safe return. Indian authorities recovered seven bodies from Nepalese rivers, with 977 people, including 517 foreign tourists, unaccounted for. In Tibet, 558 people were missing, five had died, and 555 tourists and 499 residents were evacuated. Hindu pilgrims were among the missing, having been stranded near Mount Kailash.