Nepal-Tibet Disaster: 469 Dead, 1,300 Missing as China Halts Rescue
The death toll from the devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border has climbed to 469, while more than 1,300 people remain missing.
Rescue efforts suffered a major setback on Friday after China suspended operations at the centre of the disaster over fears that another surge of floodwater could hit the area.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that a lake formed by massive debris was overflowing towards the location where rescue teams were preparing to search.
Teams that had already reached the area were ordered to withdraw about one kilometre and wait for further instructions.
The latest development has intensified fears for hundreds of people still trapped or missing after Wednesday’s flash floods swept through communities along the mountainous border.
More Than 100 Trapped in Tunnel
In Nepal, soldiers are working to rescue about 100 people trapped inside a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project.
Nepal Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said two helicopters had been deployed, but locating the tunnel entrances had proved difficult because of the scale of the destruction.
The prime minister’s office said troops had already rescued 350 workers and residents from the area.
Rescue operations remain difficult as damaged roads, destroyed bridges and fast-moving floodwaters restrict access to affected communities.
Authorities are now watching an artificial lake created by debris from the disaster, amid warnings that it could burst its banks.
Chinese state media said continued rainfall could send about three million cubic metres of water into the lake over the next three days.
A breach could send another wall of water downstream, threatening areas around Gyirong Port and other communities.
Nepalese authorities have issued similar warnings over rising water levels in debris-blocked areas.
The fresh threat means rescuers must balance the search for survivors with the danger of being caught in another flood.
Foreign Tourists Among the Missing
The disaster has also left hundreds of foreign tourists and pilgrims unaccounted for.
Nepalese authorities said more than 500 foreign nationals were among those missing in the country, including citizens of India, the United States, Australia, Britain and Canada.
At least 39 Australians are reported missing, including members of a Sydney family who were travelling through Nepal on pilgrimage.
Their relatives have expressed concern but said they remain hopeful that the missing travellers will be found alive.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have evacuated hundreds of people from the Tibetan side of the disaster zone.
State media reported that 555 tourists and 499 local residents had been taken to safety.
Rescue Gives Way to Relief
The scale of destruction is making the search increasingly difficult.
Nearly 40 kilometres of roads have been damaged, while dozens of bridges have been swept away.
Rescuers have also recovered bodies far downstream, hundreds of kilometres from some of the worst-hit areas.
The Nepalese army has continued using helicopters to evacuate stranded residents and transport injured survivors for treatment in Kathmandu.
The Nepal Red Cross Society has begun shifting its attention towards large-scale relief, as thousands of displaced people require food, water, shelter and medical assistance.
The organisation has appealed for $31 million to support the emergency response.
The United Nations has also released $2 million from its central emergency fund for medical care, shelter and water.
China has deployed hundreds of military and paramilitary personnel to the affected region, while Premier Li Qiang visited Gyirong to oversee rescue efforts.
But with more rain expected and another flood feared, the search for survivors has become a race against a new and potentially deadly threat.
