The torrent moves westward along the swollen river before turning southward.
Satellite imagery reveals the emergence of a barrier lake at the foot of the landslide’s trajectory, a formation that Chinese officials warn could trigger additional flooding and has slowed rescue operations.
Dr Argha Banerjee, a glaciologist with the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, told BBC Verify that the images do not allow a determination of the barrier’s stability or the likelihood of a sudden lake drainage.
He noted, however, that despite continued inflow, the lake’s surface area showed no substantial expansion between Wednesday and Thursday.
Dr Banerjee observed a visible outflow channel, indicating that some water is already being released downstream, and he described the volume as “not alarmingly large” and appears to have reached a stable state.
The scope of damage on the Tibetan side of the border remains uncertain. The area, a tightly controlled region that China incorporated in the 1950s, restricts foreign media access. BBC Verify has yet to locate verifiable footage from the region.
The satellite imagery, offering only an initial view of the flood’s impact, has been released by Vantor through its Open Data Program to assist authorities in prioritizing search‑and‑rescue operations, locating the missing, and recovering victims.
Additional reporting by Shruti Menon, Merlyn Thomas and Alex Murray. Graphics by Mezut Ersoz.
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