Tibet rescue efforts halted over flood risk as Nepal death toll climbs to 469
China has paused rescue operations at the epicentre of this week's catastrophic Tibet flooding over fears a newly formed lake could burst, while Nepal's death toll has risen to 469 with over 1,300 still missing.
China has temporarily halted rescue operations at the centre of this week's devastating floods in Tibet, amid concerns that a lake formed by debris could burst and endanger rescue teams. Meanwhile, Nepal's death toll has climbed to 469, with more than 1,300 people still unaccounted for.
State broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday that the lake, created by huge piles of mud and debris, had begun overflowing toward the area rescue teams were heading into. All rescue teams have reportedly been ordered to stand by, while teams that had already reached the site were told to withdraw one kilometre.
The lake formed after a wall of mud and debris struck the border town of Gyirong in Tibet on Wednesday, triggering flash floods that tore through mountain valleys and destroyed entire villages.
International aid and rescue challenges
The international community is working to deliver aid to flood-affected areas of Nepal and Tibet, but search and rescue efforts — including for hundreds of missing tourists — have been hampered by the destruction of dozens of bridges and roads across the mountainous region, which is popular with trekkers and pilgrims.
In Nepal, more than 500 foreign nationals are among 826 people reported missing, including 177 from India, 90 from the US, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain and 25 from Canada. Chinese state media say at least 558 people are missing on the Tibetan side of the border, including at least 260 foreign nationals, though Chinese authorities have officially confirmed only three deaths, reflecting tight information controls in the region.
On Friday, Nepali army helicopter crews worked to rescue around 100 people trapped inside a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project, after already freeing 350 workers and local residents earlier. Rescuers have also recovered bodies far downstream in Nepal's Chitwan district.
CCTV said water levels at the lake are expected to keep rising over the next three days due to continued rainfall, peaking around Tuesday, raising the risk of a breach that could send further flooding downstream, including toward the Gyirong Port area.
