Experts are warning that the glaciers responsible for the catastrophic flooding in Nepal and China remain at major risk of collapse, potentially causing another surge of water, ice, and debris. This warning comes as the death toll from the August 26 disaster has surpassed 1,000, with rescue teams continuing their efforts to reach communities cut off by the floods.
China's Ministry of Water Resources issued a warning about the significant risk posed by glaciers surrounding the Cuojian River in Nepal. A glacier collapse there sent large volumes of rock, ice, and meltwater cascading into valleys across Nepal and Tibet. The floodwaters destroyed homes, buildings, roads, and bridges, carrying mud and rocks downstream and causing widespread devastation.
While water levels at a barrier lake formed after the initial flooding have decreased, the ministry cautioned that unstable glaciers downstream could initiate further flooding. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery from Monday showed the water body at the impact crater on Nepal's Cuojian River had shrunk, but further landslides could block the river again, creating a new barrier lake.
The China Meteorological Administration has issued a warning for additional rainfall in Gyirong county, Tibet, over the next three days and urged rescuers to remain vigilant, as wet conditions could impede rescue operations and make roads hazardous for heavy machinery.
Ongoing Rescue Efforts
Authorities are still searching for thousands of people unaccounted for and working to assist survivors in areas with damaged transportation routes. The immediate priority for rescue teams is locating approximately 900 workers missing from 12 damaged hydropower projects, with an estimated 500 believed to be trapped inside tunnels.
Nepal Army spokesperson Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet stated that teams, supported by foreign experts, are working at several hydropower projects to reach individuals trapped in blocked tunnels. Images released by the army show rescue teams navigating dark, debris-filled tunnels, wading through mud and water, and climbing over rocks in their search. At the Upper Trishuli 3A site, rescuers created an opening into a mud-filled tunnel and began using drilling and excavation machinery. However, initial attempts to make contact yielded no response.
Kulman Gsising, a former head of several hydropower projects who is coordinating rescue efforts, expressed uncertainty about the survival duration of the trapped workers due to unknown tunnel conditions. He noted that while some tunnels might have oxygen and food supplies for several weeks, initial assessments suggest this is unlikely. He reported that one tunnel reached was completely filled with water and mud, preventing any assessment of workers inside.
Nepal's electricity infrastructure sustained significant damage, with 11 hydropower stations and one solar power station, accounting for about 10 percent of the country's installed electricity generation capacity, ceasing operations. Additionally, 15 hydropower projects under construction, with a planned capacity of 470 megawatts, were damaged.
Emotional scenes have unfolded outside the Nepal Electricity Authority's head office in Kathmandu, where relatives of missing workers are anxiously awaiting news. Some relatives hold onto hope, citing the presence of oxygen systems within the tunnels. The rescue operations are described as technically complex, with every second being critical for those trapped.
Devastation and Aid Needs
Helicopter pilot Bimal Sharma described the devastation in Timure, a border town near Tibet, as profoundly shocking, noting that the landscape had been entirely altered. He observed deep distress in the eyes of the survivors he airlifted.
On the Chinese side, rescue efforts are focused on areas affected by mudslides, particularly around the destroyed Gyirong Port border crossing. Search dogs are being utilized to look for signs of life among the debris, while heavy machinery is being used to clear a major highway to facilitate aid delivery.
Hundreds of unidentified bodies have been buried in shallow graves due to the warm weather. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) described the situation as an unfolding disaster, with vast needs for the tens of thousands impacted by the destruction of entire communities, roads, power plants, and bridges.
Communications have been slowly improving, allowing rescue teams to reach most affected areas by road or helicopter. Nepal has appealed for international support, including over a thousand freezer units to store recovered bodies. Families are attempting to identify the deceased by viewing images of recovered bodies at community centers, with some recognizing friends and relatives. Among the missing are 592 foreigners, including trekkers and pilgrims.