Nepal, China warn of fresh flood risks with lakes threatening to burst
Nepal and China are bracing for potential secondary disasters as a lake formed by debris from a massive glacier collapse threatens to burst. Rescue operations continue following a flash flood that has resulted in hundreds of deaths and widespread infrastructure destruction.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the increasing vulnerability of Himalayan communities to climate-related geological disasters and the challenges of cross-border disaster management.
Rescue teams using heavy machinery are digging through mud and debris in Nepalese towns devastated by a flash flood two days ago, as hopes of finding survivors fade and officials work to reduce the risk of fresh flooding.
The confirmed death toll in Nepal had now reached 469, police said on Friday (local time), with almost 1000 more missing there and in neighbouring Tibet, near where a glacier collapse on Wednesday morning sent a huge torrent of rock, ice, mud and debris cascading through Himalayan mountain river systems.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in