New Delhi, Aug 28: Chinese authorities have suspended rescue operations near the Nepal-Tibet border after a lake formed by debris from a landslide began filling with water, raising fears that it could burst its banks and trigger another flood, the BBC reported.
Officials have been monitoring rising water upstream from Gyirong port, a key land crossing between Nepal and Tibet that was swept away by a torrent of mud and water following Wednesday’s landslide.
According to the BBC, hours of heavy rain have increased concerns that the newly formed lake could breach the debris blocking it and cause further flooding in the coming days. Rescuers in the area have reportedly been ordered to halt operations temporarily, citing reports in Chinese state media.
More than 550 people have been reported missing on the Tibetan side, including around 260 foreigners. Many of those affected were pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash, a major Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage site in Tibet.
The latest disaster has caused heavy casualties on both sides of the border. At least 469 people have died in Nepal, with hundreds still missing, more than 48 hours after flash floods devastated the Himalayan border region. In Tibet, three people have been confirmed dead and more than 550 are missing, although it remains unclear whether some of the figures overlap. The disaster has disrupted an area visited by tens of thousands of tourists and pilgrims every year.
