China Warns New Lake Near Nepal Border May Burst
A new lake made by a landslide could break and cause a second flood.
A landslide happened near the Nepal-Tibet border.
The landslide made a new lake in the mountains.
China says the lake may burst. This is a "high risk".
If the lake bursts, there will be a second flood.
On Wednesday, a big flood killed many people in this area.
Engineers now watch the water in the lake.
Rescue teams stopped their work because it is not safe.
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China Warns of High Risk as Lake Fills Near Nepal-Tibet Border
Engineers are watching a new lake that could burst and send a second flood downstream.
China has warned that there is a "high risk" that a new lake near the Nepal-Tibet border may burst and cause a second flood.
The lake formed after a recent landslide blocked a river. On Friday morning, about 2.5 million cubic metres of water had collected in it, state broadcaster CCTV said. Officials said another three million cubic metres of water would flow into the lake between Thursday and Saturday. The lake has already started to overflow, and there has been heavy rain in the area.
Authorities have sent engineering teams to watch the water levels. Search and rescue work near the border has been stopped because of the danger.
On Wednesday, a flash flood hit the same area. Scientists say it happened when part of a mountain glacier fell into a river below. Several hundred people have died in Nepal and hundreds more are missing. On the Tibet side of the border, more than 550 people are missing, and nearly half of them are foreigners.
In Nepal, authorities have also warned about blockages on the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. They have told people to stay away from the rivers until further notice.
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China Warns Barrier Lake Near Nepal-Tibet Border Could Burst
Rescue operations have been suspended after a lake formed by a landslide began to overflow.
China has warned that there is a "high risk" that a lake formed after a recent landslide near the Nepal-Tibet border may burst, causing a second flood downstream.
A barrier lake is a body of water that forms when debris dams up a river. This one formed where the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers meet, and it has already started to overflow, according to China's Ministry of Water Resources. As of Friday morning, an estimated 2.5 million cubic metres of water had accumulated in the lake, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Officials said that three million cubic metres of water was expected to flow into the lake between Thursday and Saturday, posing a "high risk of breach". The area has also seen heavy rain.
Engineering teams have been sent to monitor the lake's water levels and the atmospheric conditions. A CCTV report on Friday morning said most Chinese emergency services were stuck at a village about 7km (4 miles) from Gyirong Port, the main land crossing between Nepal and China, because the lake was "overflowing non-stop". Search and rescue operations near the border had to be suspended.
The warning follows Wednesday's deadly flash flood in the same area. Scientists say it was probably caused by part of a glacier near Langtang Lirung collapsing into the river below, which sent a huge surge of water and debris downstream.
Several hundred people have died in Nepal and hundreds more are still missing. On the Tibet side of the border alone, more than 550 people are missing, nearly half of them foreigners. Nepali authorities have warned of the risk of blockages causing further floods along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers, and have told people to stay away from the rivers until further notice.
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