Overflowing lake on Tibet border keeps flood-hit Nepal on edge; toll rises to 579

Rescue operations have been suspended in Tibet as a lake formed by glacial debris began overflowing, raising fears of a second flood in Nepal even as teams race to find 1,468 missing people after destructive flash flooding killed hundreds.

In Short

• Newly formed lake near Nepal-Tibet border starts overflowing, warns China
• Rescue ops suspended in Tibet due to flood fears, Nepal advises extreme caution
• Around 1,500 remain missing, Indian authorities trying to trace 290 nationals

A desperate race to find survivors after Nepal’s devastating flash floods has hit another roadblock, with a newly formed lake near the Nepal-Tibet border beginning to overflow and threatening to unleash a second deadly surge.

At least 579 people have died and nearly 2,500 remain missing on the Nepal and Tibet sides of the border after flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the border, tore through central Nepal on Wednesday. The torrent of water, mud and debris swept away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and left entire settlements buried.

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Police in Nepal issued a warning on Friday that a water dam had "breached on the Tibetan side". Chinese state media later confirmed that "overflow has occurred today" from a barrier lake, spelling the risk of further flooding near the disaster-hit border crossing connecting Tibet with Nepal. Concerns over the newly formed lake have forced authorities to suspend rescue operations in the area.

NEPAL FLASH FLOODS: LATEST UPDATES

1. Chinese authorities briefly suspended rescue operations on Friday after the barrier lake formed by debris from a glacier collapse began overflowing. The lake is about 10 km from Gyirong port and contains more than 2 million cubic meters of water. After the flood risk was deemed "manageable", rescue ops resumed in the area.
2. Nepal's government has also issued a fresh warning for areas along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers following increased water flow. Rescue and relief workers and people still in risk zones have been urged to move to safety immediately if conditions worsen.
3. The scale of destruction has made reaching survivors extremely difficult. Roads and bridges have been washed away, while homes, markets, farms and government buildings have been buried under thick layers of mud and debris. Several remote settlements remain cut off.
4. The Ministry of External Affairs said at least 21 Indian nationals rescued amid the crisis have returned to Delhi on an IndiGo flight. Around 320 Indian nationals and 100 people of Indian origin remain out of contact. Nearly 400 Indians stranded on the Chinese side are safe, while 93 nationals have crossed into Nepal from Tibet. India is also preparing to send a third relief flight this evening, carrying around 12–13 tonnes of relief supplies, including portable generators, medical kits and solar lamps.
5. At least 28 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, who travelled to Nepal on August 21 for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, are expected to return home on Friday after completing the pilgrimage safely, news agency PTI reported. The group narrowly crossed a flood-affected stretch near an immigration office before floodwaters reached the area. All pilgrims were reported safe and uninjured. They will travel from Nepal to Delhi before taking separate flights to Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and other destinations in Andhra Pradesh.

6. Satellite imagery has revealed two lakes near the site of a glacial collapse in Nepal, prompting authorities to monitor potential flooding. One lake began overflowing on Friday, while officials warned that flood risks could persist until both lakes drain completely. Nepal is using satellite data despite limited image availability and plans to deploy cameras and sensors downstream, including near Timure.

    

    

7. The Trishuli and Devighat hydropower projects and other power infrastructure were also affected. At the Trishuli-I project site, the Nepal Army rescued about 350 workers and staff trapped inside a tunnel. However, more than 100 people are still believed to be trapped there.
8. Nepalese authorities have reported 910 people missing, while officials in Tibet have reported another 558 missing. That puts the combined number of missing people on both sides of the border at 1,468.
9. The chief of the Nepal Centre for Disaster Management told Al Jazeera that about 800 people have been rescued by helicopter and 700 by land. Aid is being airlifted to survivors. However, around 644 of those missing are reportedly foreigners.
10. The disaster began after an ice-rock avalanche linked to a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border. The resulting torrent ripped through settlements in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, carrying huge amounts of water, rocks and mud downstream. Timure and Rasuwagadhi were among the areas badly hit before the flood surged through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems.

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