China has issued a warning of a "high risk" that a lake formed by a recent landslide near the Nepal-Tibet border could burst, potentially causing a second flood downstream. This alert follows a deadly flash flood earlier in the week, which scientists believe was triggered by a glacial collapse into a river.
As of Friday morning, the newly formed barrier lake had accumulated approximately 2.5 million cubic meters of water, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Officials anticipate that an additional three million cubic meters of water will flow into the lake between Thursday and Saturday, increasing the danger of a breach. The lake is situated at the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers and has already begun to overflow, compounded by heavy rainfall in the region, the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources reported.
Engineering teams have been dispatched to monitor the lake's water levels and atmospheric conditions. However, Chinese emergency services are reportedly delayed, with many stationed about 7 kilometers (4 miles) from Gyirong Port, a key land crossing between Nepal and China that was impacted by the initial flood. The continuous overflow from the barrier lake could lead to fresh floods or debris flows, necessitating the suspension of search and rescue operations near the Nepal-Tibet border.