Nepal and China resume rescue operations after flash flood threat subsides

Nepal and China briefly suspended rescue operations for those missing in Wednesday’s flash flood due to the threat of new onrush of water from a lake that formed on the upper reaches of the Bhote Koshi river.

The lake broke its banks Friday morning and Nepal asked its rescue teams and residents to move to higher ground. Rescue operations resumed soon afterward when the authorities assessed that the risk of flooding was not as severe as initially thought.

CNN reported, citing a spokesperson for Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, that there is no risk of a massive deluge like before. “It is a small amount of water leaking from the dam down into the valley below.”

Chinese officials said the risk of flooding had decreased as the water level in the lake had fallen by about 10 meters, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said that the death toll has reached 547 by Friday evening. Nearly 1,500 are still missing, including police personnel. More than 1,500 people have been rescued, Nepalese police posted online.

China has confirmed 5 deaths so far, with 558 people including 260 foreigners missing.

More than 13,000 army and police personnel are engaged in the search and rescue effort in Nepal.

Helicopter rescue missions, which have successfully pulled to safety hundreds of people stranded in the mud and buildings in the last 48 hours, also resumed after the pause.

China also resumed rescue operations at the Gyirong Port, which is now completely buried in mud. The first team of 21 firefighters and a rescue dog reached the border checkpoint around 5 p.m. on Friday, state media reported.

Nearly half of those missing in Nepal are tourists and travelers. The Nepal Tourism Board says 667 tourists are missing, including 127 Nepalis.

India's foreign ministery says at least 320 of its nationals are missing.

There is also no information on an 80-member pilgrim group from a spiritual organization in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The group was returning from Mansarovar and had reportedly reached the immigration checkpoint at the border just minutes before the flood leveled the buildings there. The group included people of various nationalities.