Warning of new major flood threat in Nepal from China

A newly formed lake, resulting from a significant landslide at the Gyirong border crossing in Tibet, is now posing a major flood risk to Nepal. Chinese state media, citing water resource authorities, has issued a stark warning about the potential for the lake's banks to rupture, unleashing floodwaters downstream.

The landslide, which occurred on Wednesday, sent a wall of mud and debris crashing down, tragically burying hundreds of people at the border crossing. The subsequent formation of the lake has created a volatile situation, with water levels predicted to surge over the next three days and reach their peak around September 1st.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, the lake could receive approximately 3 million cubic meters of water in the coming days due to ongoing rainfall. This influx significantly increases the danger of the lake bursting its banks. If this occurs, floodwaters would flow down the river, potentially causing further devastation to areas including the Gyirong port and other settlements located along the river's course.

Authorities have been working to mitigate the immediate danger. By Friday morning, CCTV reported that 499 local residents and 555 tourists had been evacuated from the affected disaster zone. The nationalities of the evacuated tourists were not specified. The region is expected to experience continued rainfall over the next three days, heightening concerns about the stability of the newly formed lake.

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Forecasts show that due to continuous rainfall, about 3 million cubic meters of water may flow into the lake in the next three days, increasing the danger that the lake may burst, floodwaters will flow down the river and possibly cause more damage, including the Gyirong port and other areas downstream along the riverbed.