Nepal, China Resume Flood Rescue as Lake Threat Eases

Rescue operations have resumed in Nepal and China after a temporary halt caused by fears that an overflowing barrier lake could trigger further devastation. The Himalayan floods, linked to a glacier collapse, have killed 552 people across Nepal and Tibet, while nearly 1,000 remain missing.

The disaster sent huge torrents of rock, ice, mud and debris through mountain river systems, destroying villages, roads, bridges and power infrastructure. More than 90,000 people are estimated to have been affected, while at least 540 foreigners are among those missing, many of them pilgrims travelling toward Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.

China has ordered stronger monitoring of glacier lakes, landslides and barrier lakes, while rescue teams continue searching for survivors and missing people. Nepal, meanwhile, has declined offers from several countries to deploy foreign search-and-rescue teams, saying it does not currently require such assistance.

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