The Latest: Rescuers search for hundreds still missing in area of Nepal-China border disaster

Rescue efforts in the aftermath of a devastating flash flood on the Nepal-China border continued on Friday, as authorities warned that hundreds of people remain missing and the risk of further flooding looms. The death toll climbed above 570, with Nepali and Chinese authorities warning of more potential victims due to a new lake that formed upstream following Wednesday's disaster.

Over 3,700 people have been rescued in Nepal thus far, but 1,924 remain unaccounted for in the country. China's state media reported 558 missing on their side, while Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority updated the death toll to 579. China dispatched two professional rescue teams, comprising 21 people and a search dog, to the hardest-hit region, marking the first such deployment in the area.

Nepal's disaster management authority stated they do not require foreign search and rescue teams at this time, but they remain open to targeted international technical assistance. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri noted that domestic personnel are managing the immediate crisis, but added that expertise might be needed depending on specific requirements.

Meanwhile, India reported that 320 Indian nationals remain uncontactable, with 96 Indians who were stranded on the Chinese side having crossed over to Nepal via land. Efforts were being made to evacuate the remaining stranded Indians. Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced that two members of an emergency relief team would begin operations at the disaster site in Nepal, and the country would provide additional support as needed.

Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported the death toll at 538, while Nepali police later increased it to 553. The agency said 977 people remain missing and 3,742 have been rescued, with 14,829 security personnel mobilized for search and rescue operations. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged his country's support, offering condolences and solidarity to Nepal during the crisis.