Nepal, China resume flood rescue as lake threat eases; death toll exceeds 500

Rescue operations in the flood-stricken Himalayas have resumed between Nepal and China after a brief suspension due to concerns over an overflowing glacial lake. The immediate threat of further devastation from the lake has eased, allowing recovery efforts to continue.

The catastrophic flood, triggered by a glacier collapse on Wednesday, has resulted in a significant loss of life. In Nepal, 547 people have died, while five fatalities have been reported in China's Tibet region. Nearly 1,000 individuals remain missing across both nations. The massive torrent of rock, ice, and debris swept through river systems, also creating a new lake where water levels continued to rise.

On Friday, the lake's reservoir exceeded 2.5 million cubic meters of water, leading to an overflow into the Lhende Khola river and subsequently the Trishuli river. This overflow prompted panic and warnings from Nepalese authorities, causing a temporary halt to rescue operations for about three hours. Chinese rescue personnel also withdrew to safe areas as a precaution.

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By noon, as the risk posed by the upstream dammed lake was deemed manageable, rescue operations for the Gyirong mudslide disaster quickly resumed and were stepped up.

Both countries restarted their rescue missions after assessments indicated the risk posed by the upstream lake was manageable. Nepal's army reported that the water level rise was only about 0.6 meters. The Wednesday flood devastated villages and destroyed critical infrastructure, including power stations, roads, and bridges along a key route connecting Kathmandu with Lhasa. A significant number of the missing are foreign pilgrims, primarily from India, en route to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.

In Beijing, President Xi Jinping chaired a Politburo meeting directing rescue efforts and emphasizing the need for scientific search-and-rescue plans. The meeting also called for improved monitoring of glacier lakes and landslide risks, along with enhanced emergency aid and international cooperation in disaster management. The visit of Premier Li Qiang to the disaster area underscored the national priority Beijing is placing on addressing the crisis.

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Authorities must 'scientifically formulate search-and-rescue plans, make every effort to search for missing people from China and abroad'.