Landslide Lake Overflows on Nepal-Tibet Border, Halting Rescue Work
A landslide-formed lake on the Nepal-Tibet border has overflowed, halting rescue efforts and raising the risk of further flooding in areas already devastated by a flash flood.
Rescue operations along the Nepal-Tibet border were temporarily suspended on Friday after a lake formed by a landslide began overflowing, raising the risk of a new surge of water through areas already devastated by a flash flood earlier this week.
Authorities on both sides of the border confirmed the overflow, prompting residents in Nepal's Rasuwa district to move to higher ground. Chinese rescue teams were also withdrawn to a safe area as a precaution, according to state media.
The initial disaster struck on Wednesday when a glacier collapse sent a massive torrent of rock, ice, mud, and debris through Himalayan river systems. The flood destroyed power stations, roads, and bridges along a key route connecting Kathmandu with Lhasa, a path popular with trekkers and pilgrims.
The confirmed death toll in Nepal has risen to 469, with nearly 1,000 more people still missing across Nepal and Tibet. Among the missing are at least 540 foreigners. In Tibet's Gyirong County, the missing tally stands at 558, including 260 foreign nationals, with only three confirmed deaths on the Chinese side.
The debris from the initial landslide created a barrier lake, which has been growing in size. An engineering team recorded its volume at 1.5-2 million cubic metres on Thursday, but by Friday it had swelled to over 2.5 million cubic metres, increasing the risk of a sudden breach.
In Nepal, rescue teams had been using helicopters to search for survivors and airlift supplies to cut-off communities. Emergency workers with sniffer dogs recovered dozens of bodies swept downstream. One survivor, Dibga Tamang, who was airlifted to safety, described the loss: "All of our people have gone. They are dead. I have no one left waiting for me."
Despite offers of international assistance, Nepal has stated it does not currently require foreign help for search and rescue missions. A South Korean rapid response team is on standby in Kathmandu but has not been deployed.
Chinese rescuers were still working to clear debris from the key access road to the worst-hit Gyirong border crossing. China's Premier Li Qiang visited the disaster site on Thursday, signalling the high priority Beijing places on the response.
Around the world, relatives of the missing are desperately seeking information. Sneha Sudhir, whose husband is among a group of American trekkers missing near Mount Kailash, spoke of the anguish: "Everybody is taking turns in shedding their tears, wiping it off and getting back to work."
US President Donald Trump confirmed that Washington had offered support to Nepal, describing the destruction as unprecedented, with "well-built buildings wiped out like they were toothpicks."