China halts rescue work at mudslide epicentre as flood-burst risk grows
Chinese authorities suspended rescue operations at the heart of the Tibetan disaster zone on Friday, warning that a lake formed by a mudslide on the China-Nepal border could breach and cause further flooding. The disaster has killed more than 400 people across Nepal and Tibet.
Rescue teams in Tibet suspended operations on Friday at the centre of the disaster zone after Chinese authorities warned that a lake created by a mudslide on the China-Nepal border could burst, potentially sending floodwaters downstream and causing additional damage.
The flooding, which has struck both Nepal and China's Tibet Autonomous Region, has already claimed more than 400 lives, with hundreds of people still unaccounted for. Difficult ongoing conditions continue to hamper rescue efforts.
Search continues for missing
The previous day, search efforts continued for around 1,300 people after landslides triggered by a glacial collapse sent a torrent of mud and water across Nepal and Tibet. Both Nepal and China have warned of renewed flood risks in the Himalayas, as two lakes that formed on either side of the border threaten to overflow.
According to an update from Nepali police, at least 359 people have died in the flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border.
