- A lake formed by immense piles of debris after a mudslide hit the China-Nepal border has begun overflowing toward the area that rescue teams were headed.
AFP
August 28, 2026 04:44
BEIJING: China has suspended ongoing rescue operations on Friday due to heightened risks of renewed flooding in Tibet, where hundreds remain unaccounted for following a devastating mudslide two days ago, state media reported.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, a lake formed from massive debris accumulations after a mudslide struck the China-Nepal border town of Gyirong on Wednesday has begun overflowing toward the zone where rescue teams were deployed.
“All rescue teams have been instructed to hold their positions and await further directives,” CCTV stated.
Emergency crews that had previously reached the disaster area have been ordered to withdraw one kilometer (0.6 miles) as a precaution, the broadcaster added.
Water levels in the lake are expected to escalate over the next three days, with peak heights projected around September 1, raising concerns about a potential breach that could unleash floodwaters downstream, threatening areas such as Gyirong Port and other downstream regions, Xinhua reported late Thursday.
Engineering teams are actively monitoring the situation, CCTV confirmed.
As of Friday, 499 Chinese nationals and 555 foreigners have been successfully evacuated from the disaster zone, according to state media.
Rescue personnel are employing drone-based 3D modeling, thermal imaging, and manual searches to locate missing individuals, CCTV reported.
