KATHMANDU, Nepal | A newly formed lake near the Nepal-China border has raised fears of another major flood in an area already devastated by a catastrophic flash flood, prompting authorities to monitor the rising water and temporarily halt rescue operations.
The lake formed after an ice-rock avalanche in the Himalayas on August 26, when a glacier detached and debris blocked the flow of water near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers. Satellite imagery reviewed by the Associated Press showed the lake holding several million cubic meters of water at an elevation of about 2,950 meters, roughly 1,000 meters above Gyirong Port in Tibet.
The immediate concern was that the natural barrier holding back the water could fail, sending another surge downstream toward communities and infrastructure already damaged by the earlier disaster. Experts told AP that the newly formed lake was comparable in volume to about 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools. While another flood on the scale of Wednesday’s disaster was considered unlikely, authorities warned that continued inflow and unstable debris could still create dangerous conditions.
Nepal and China temporarily suspended search and rescue operations as water levels rose, but Reuters reported that rescue efforts resumed after authorities determined the immediate threat had eased. The disaster has killed at least 552 people, including 547 in Nepal and five in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, with nearly 1,000 people still missing, according to the latest Reuters report.
China has also intensified monitoring of the situation. President Xi Jinping ordered stronger surveillance of glacial and barrier lakes, while Premier Li Qiang visited the affected Gyirong area. Chinese authorities have been working to assess risks on the Tibetan side, where debris has blocked roads and complicated access for rescuers.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said the August 26 flood severely affected Nepal’s Rasuwa district and the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors, as well as communities around Kyirong in Tibet. The organization noted that the full extent of the damage remains under assessment.
The latest threat highlights a growing hazard across the Hindu Kush Himalayas, where glaciers are retreating and unstable slopes and glacial lakes can create sudden floods. Nepal has experienced similar disasters before. In 2025, a flood in the Bhote Koshi River killed nine people and washed away the Friendship Bridge linking Nepal and China, disrupting cross-border transport and trade for months.
Authorities on both sides of the border continue to monitor the lake and surrounding terrain while rescue teams search for survivors of the August 26 disaster. The evolving situation has underscored the need for stronger early-warning systems and closer cross-border coordination in one of the world’s most hazard-prone mountain regions.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
