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Glacial Collapse Triggers Second Flood Alert in Nepal
28 Aug
Summary
- A new landslide lake overflowed, prompting a fresh flood alert.
- Rescue operations in flood-devastated areas were temporarily halted.
- The new lake's water volume exceeded 2.5 million cubic meters.
A landslide-created lake on the Nepal-China border began overflowing on Friday, issuing a new flood alert and causing Nepal to pause rescue operations. This new threat emerged just two days after a catastrophic flash flood killed at least 469 people in Nepal and left nearly 1,000 missing.
The recent surge in water volume at the new lake, now exceeding 2.5 million cubic meters, has prompted Chinese authorities to evacuate personnel to safer ground due to fears of a breach. Experts are monitoring the Trishuli river for potential new blockages from debris, which could lead to another sudden release of water.
China's Ministry of Water Resources warned that an additional 3 million cubic meters of water could flow into the lake within three days. Rescue efforts in Nepal are ongoing, with 469 confirmed deaths and 977 people still missing. Thousands of security personnel and army units are engaged in rescue and assessment operations, including inspections of the Bhotekoshi River.
