Nepal and China Face the Threat of Another Flood Due to the Risk of a Dangerous Lake Bursting
Nepal and China have warned of a new flood threat in the Himalayas due to the risk of a lake breach caused by a glacier collapse and debris blocking the river. This comes amid widespread flooding that has already caused numerous casualties and missing persons in the border regions of Nepal and Tibet.
Search and rescue operations following the flooding are ongoing, and about 1,000 people are still missing.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that at least 56 Ukrainian citizens were missing in the disaster-stricken area.
According to Xinhua, citing local police, the death toll from the flooding in Nepal has risen to 469.
The natural disaster in the region is attributed to a glacier collapse that swept large masses of rocks, ice, mud, and debris into the river systems.
Nepal’s Disaster Management Authority reported on Thursday that the lake, which formed when debris blocked the river, continues to fill with water.
As a result, there is a risk of the natural dam breaking and causing another large-scale flood.
“Residents of the lower banks... passengers, rescuers involved in rescue operations, and all concerned parties are urged to exercise extreme caution and remain in safe areas away from the riverbanks and hazardous zones,” the agency stated.
In response to the warning, some Nepalese rescue workers have already begun moving to higher ground.
Chinese authorities have warned that over the next three days, the newly formed lake is expected to receive about 3 million cubic meters of water.
This is roughly equivalent to 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The highest water level is expected to be reached around September 1, increasing the risk of a natural dam breach.
A Chinese rescue team documented the lake’s formation during an aerial survey on Thursday, state broadcaster CGTN reported.
The released footage shows brown-colored water accumulating in a natural basin with no visible outlet. It has already flooded some of the vegetation and is putting pressure on a barrier made of rocks and debris.
Chinese state media also reported that the rainfall forecast for next week could further increase the risk of the lake bursting.
Zhu Jinfeng, a researcher with the Hydrology Department of China’s Ministry of Water Resources, said the situation remains dangerous.
“The water level continues to rise, as does the risk,” he told state broadcaster CCTV.
As a result, rescue services in Nepal and China are preparing for a possible new wave of flooding, while the search for those missing after the previous flood continues.
In Nepal, the death toll from a flash flood in the Himalayas on the border with China has risen to 469. More than 1,000 people are considered missing, including up to 540 foreigners from more than 30 countries.
In Nepal, contact has been lost with 56 Ukrainian citizens due to widespread flooding and landslides. At the same time, there is no information about any Ukrainians who have died or been injured.
As a result of sudden floods and landslides in the Bhote Koshi and Trisuli river basins in Nepal, 469 people have died, and more than 1,300 are considered missing.
At least 39 Australian citizens are missing after a flash flood in Nepal near the border with Tibet. Among them is a family from Sydney: 42-year-old Shilaja Muralitharan, her 47-year-old husband Chandrasekaran Muralitharan, and their sons Eshwin, 14, and Aarush, 11.
