China paused a rescue operation on Friday, citing the high risk of renewed flooding in Tibet, where hundreds remain missing two days after a deadly mudslide, state media said.
Rescue Operations Halted as Overflowing Lake Threatens Area in Tibet
A lake formed by debris from a mudslide at the China-Nepal border is now overflowing, posing a risk to the area where rescue teams are operating. State broadcaster CCTV reported that all rescue teams have been instructed to remain in place and await further guidance.
Earlier, emergency teams that had reached the affected area were ordered to retreat one kilometer (0.6 miles) from the site. The mudslide occurred on Wednesday, impacting the border hub of Gyirong in Tibet, with hundreds of individuals reported missing following the incident.
CCTV said water levels at the lake were expected to rise over the next three days due to continued rainfall, peaking around September 1. CCTV said that 499 Chinese nationals and 555 foreigners had been transported out of the disaster zone as of Friday.
This increases “the risk of a breach that could send floodwaters downstream and potentially cause further damage in areas including Gyirong Port and elsewhere downstream,” state news agency Xinhua reported late Thursday. Emergency engineering teams were closely monitoring the situation, said CCTV. Rescue workers are using drone-based 3D modelling and thermal imaging detection, as well as manual searches, to locate those still missing, said CCTV. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
