Nepal authorities on Friday ordered rescue teams searching for flood survivors to “immediately get to safety” after a lake formed by the recent debris slide ruptured in Chinese Tibet, increasing the risk of further floods.
The disaster that occurred on Wednesday (26) left at least 538 people dead in Nepal, according to the Nepalese emergency management authority. Chinese authorities recorded another five deaths in the Tibet autonomous region, bringing the provisional toll to 543 deaths.
More than 1,400 people are missing, including hundreds of tourists visiting the Himalayas and dozens of Hindu pilgrims heading to Mount Kailash, considered sacred by Hindus.
Emergency teams recovered hundreds of bodies after a wall of freezing water and mud swept through the region, burying homes, collapsing bridges and sweeping away vehicles in Nepal and Tibet.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that the tragedy was caused by the partial collapse of a glacier, which triggered a huge flow of water and sediment.
Chinese state media reported that the risk of flooding associated with a lake was “gradually decreasing” after the water level dropped by almost 10 meters since Thursday (27). Authorities stated that the rescue tasks “happen in an orderly manner”.
It is not clear whether the lake cited by the Chinese press is the same as the one mentioned by Nepalese authorities.
People remain missing
Emergency services continue working to locate survivors in devastated areas, where food and drinking water are starting to run out.
The Nepalese Army located several people trapped in the tunnel of a hydroelectric project. According to military spokesman Raja Ram Basnet, two helicopters were sent to assist in the operation, but it is difficult to locate the tunnel entrances.
Nearly 350 workers and residents in the region have been brought to safety, while efforts continue to save more than 100 people who remain stranded.
In India, authorities reported that they recovered seven bodies from rivers that originate in Nepal and believe them to be victims of floods.
In Tibet, Chinese authorities reported five deaths and 558 missing.
Tourists are evacuated in Tibet
Chinese state media reported that 499 residents and 555 tourists had been evacuated from the area affected by the disaster by Friday morning. The nationalities of the tourists were not disclosed.
On Thursday (27), Chinese authorities had warned of a “high risk” of the rupture of a lake formed after a landslide on the border between China and Nepal.
According to the state agency Xinhuathe volume of water entering the lake could reach around 3 million cubic meters in the following three days, due to continuous rains, increasing the risk of a rupture that could cause further damage downstream.
The state broadcaster CCTV reported that the lake level could continue to rise in the following days, with a peak expected around September 1st.
Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting of high-ranking officials on the rescue operations and offered help to Nepal.
According to the state agency XinhuaChinese officials said there are still risks related to glaciers, ice lakes and geological disasters in the region.
With information from AFP
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
