Kathmandu: The death toll from the devastating flash floods that swept through Nepal this week has crossed 469, while nearly 1,500 people remain missing, authorities said, as China issued a fresh warning over the risk of another flood along the Nepal-Tibet border.
Foreign nationals are among those missing, with Indians accounting for the largest group. Data from Nepal’s newly established tourism board showed that 178 Indians were reported missing, while 11 others had been rescued.
Several of those unaccounted for are believed to be foreign tourists, including trekkers who were in the Himalayan region and Hindu pilgrims traveling toward Tibet’s sacred Mount Kailash.
The scale of the destruction has also become clearer through satellite imagery. New imagery from Vantor technology showed the Tibet-Nepal Rasuwagadhi border crossing completely destroyed, with floodwaters and debris scouring the valley floor.
A barrier lake near the Nepal-China border is overflowing and could breach, Chinese authorities warn. It formed a day after flash floods killed hundreds in nearby communities. The lake held about 2 million cubic metres Thursday, with another 3 million expected within three days. pic.twitter.com/9I15tN3Tgb
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Aerial footage from the region also showed a growing lake near the Tibet-Nepal border, prompting concerns that a breach could trigger another wave of flooding downstream.
China Issues Level-IV Alert
China has issued a Level-IV emergency alert over a barrier lake that formed following a mudslide near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers.
China’s Ministry of Water Resources warned that the lake faces a significant risk of breaching, potentially sending large volumes of water into downstream areas.
The two rivers originate in Tibet and form part of the Bhote Koshi river system after flowing into Nepal.
According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, the lake had accumulated an estimated 2 million cubic meters of water by Thursday morning. Continued rainfall could push inflows to around 3 million cubic meters, increasing the possibility of a breach.
A sudden release could threaten areas downstream, including Gyirong Port along the China-Nepal border, authorities warned.
China’s natural disaster emergency response system has four levels, with Level I representing the highest level of emergency and Level IV the lowest.
Rescue Operations Underway
Nepalese security forces, rescue teams and military helicopters are continuing search operations across remote mountainous areas along the Nepal-China border.
The flash floods followed what authorities described as a glacier collapse, sending a massive torrent of water, mud and debris through valleys and settlements.
Videos from the affected areas showed residents fleeing as floodwaters rapidly engulfed buildings, roads and bridges.
The Himalayan region is particularly vulnerable to flash floods, landslides and other climate-related disasters. Scientists have warned that rising temperatures linked to human-caused climate change are accelerating glacier melt and increasing risks associated with unstable mountain environments.
With hundreds still missing, rescuers are facing difficult terrain, damaged infrastructure and continuing weather-related threats.
Nepal Declines Foreign Rescue Teams
The Nepal government has reportedly declined offers from several countries to deploy search-and-rescue teams, saying its own security agencies have the capacity to continue the ongoing operations.
According to The Straits Times, Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s government has instead indicated that Nepal is seeking financial assistance through a “one-door” mechanism, with additional international support expected during the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.
Several countries have already announced financial assistance for Nepal, while others have offered support for search and rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.
As rescue operations continue, authorities remain focused on locating those missing while assessing the extensive damage caused by the floods across the mountainous border region.
