KATHMANDU : Chinese authorities temporarily halted rescue operations near the Nepal-Tibet border on Friday after a newly formed barrier lake began overflowing, raising fears of another flood in an area already devastated by a deadly flash flood.
The lake formed after a huge collapse of ice, rock, mud and debris blocked a river during Wednesday’s disaster. Water continued to collect behind the natural debris dam, with the reservoir reaching more than 2.5 million cubic metres by Friday.
Chinese authorities had warned that another 3 million cubic metres of water could enter the lake over the next three days as rainfall continues in the region. The rising water raised fears that the debris barrier could fail and send another surge downstream.
Rescue teams on the Chinese side were ordered to move to safer ground, while Nepal also briefly suspended helicopter and ground operations in Rasuwa district. People living near the Trishuli River were warned to move uphill after water levels began rising. The rescue halt lasted only a few hours.
By Friday afternoon, Chinese authorities said the risk from the lake had become manageable and rescue operations resumed. Nepal also restarted its search for survivors and those still missing.
The latest disaster has killed hundreds on both sides of the border. Reuters reported that 547 people had died in Nepal and five in Tibet, with almost 1,000 people still missing. At least 540 of those missing are foreigners, many of them Indian pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet.
The original flood tore through villages, roads and bridges and destroyed hydropower infrastructure along the route connecting Kathmandu with Tibet. Large sections of the road network have been washed away, leaving some communities accessible only by helicopter.
Chinese authorities have deployed engineering teams to monitor the barrier lake using aerial surveys and 3D modelling. According to report, authorities are also watching for further landslides, avalanches and rising water as more rain is forecast in the coming days.
The second flood threat has added pressure to a rescue operation already struggling with destroyed roads, unstable slopes and thousands of people still waiting for news of missing relatives.
