Second flood 'imminent'? Nepal halts rescue ops as China border lake begins overflowing

A lake created by a landslide on the Nepal-China border is threatening to overflow, prompting Nepal to suspend rescue operations in areas impacted by a recent flash flood. The disaster, triggered by a glacier collapse in the Himalayas, has already killed at least 469 people in Nepal and left nearly 1,000 others missing. The lake's water level has risen significantly, from an estimated 1.5-2 million cubic meters to over 2.5 million cubic meters.

This rapid rise in water height, combined with debris potentially forming a landslide dam, has experts fearing a second flood could be imminent. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) warns that Nepal may experience another wave of flooding if the blockage remains upstream on the Nepal-China border.

China has also expressed concern, estimating that another 3 million cubic meters of water could flow into the lake over the next three days, equivalent to 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Authorities are deploying engineering teams to survey the area and monitor the situation closely.