Chinese authorities have resumed rescue operations near the Nepal-Tibet border after temporarily halting efforts over fears that a newly formed lake could burst its banks and trigger another devastating flood.
State media reported that water previously trickling through the lake on the Tibet side has now stopped, allowing rescue teams to return to the affected area.
The development comes as Nepal’s death toll from Wednesday’s flash floods climbed to 489, according to Nepali police, with bodies recovered from several of the worst-hit districts.
Authorities said the majority of the bodies were recovered in Chitwan district, where the Trishuli River runs before joining the Seti Gandaki River. Rasuwa and Nuwakot were also among the worst-affected areas.
In Tibet, at least three people have died and more than 550 remain missing, although it was not immediately clear whether some of the figures overlap with those reported in Nepal.
Local officials told the BBC that a collapsed glacier triggered the massive flood wave, sending a surge of water through communities and destroying homes, roads and a key Nepal-Tibet border crossing.
The disaster has devastated a region that attracts tens of thousands of tourists each year.
The Nepali government has also released the names of 500 foreign nationals reported missing following the flooding. The list includes 178 Indians, 65 Americans and 33 Britons.
Rescue efforts were previously suspended on the Tibet side after authorities detected rising water in a newly formed lake, raising concerns that a breach could produce another flood surge.
The latest assessment that the water flow through the lake has stopped has enabled Chinese authorities to resume search and rescue operations.
The scale of the disaster has left families across several countries anxiously awaiting news of relatives who remain unaccounted for.
Among those searching for loved ones are two sisters whose parents are missing. Speaking about their parents, they said: “We just love them a lot and want them to come home.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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