Nepal and China issued fresh flood warnings across the Himalayas on Thursday as search and rescue operations continued following Wednesday’s devastating floods.
Authorities said lakes formed on either side of the border could overflow, while forecast rainfall may further destabilise conditions.
Nearly 1,000 people remain missing after the floods struck border regions of Nepal and Tibet in China, killing at least 362 people. Both countries attributed the disaster to a glacier collapse that sent rocks, ice, mud and debris into mountain rivers.
Nepal warns residents to leave river areas
Nepal’s disaster management agency said the water level in a lake formed after debris blocked a river at the site of the disaster was continuing to rise, creating a risk that the natural barrier could breach.
Residents, travellers and rescue workers downstream were urged to move away from rivers and other high-risk areas.
Following the warning, some rescue teams in Nepal began moving to higher ground for safety.
China expects further rise in water levels
China warned that approximately three million cubic metres of water were expected to flow into an already dammed lake on its side of the border over the next three days, significantly increasing the risk of a breach.
The flow is expected to peak around 1 September, while rainfall forecast for the following week could further worsen the situation, according to Chinese state media.
“The volume of water continues to increase and, with it, so does the risk,” said Zhou Jinfeng, a researcher at China’s Ministry of Water Resources.
