Risk of lake burst near Nepal disaster site wanes

Risk of lake burst near Nepal disaster site wanes (Representative image)

The threat of a lake formed after a glacier collapse bursting near the China-Nepal border, where a devastating flood struck earlier this week, has eased, Chinese authorities said on Saturday, as it appears to have shrunk. Satellite images from Thursday to Saturday morning suggest that water in the lake, which straddles the border between China’s Tibet region and Nepal at the confluence of two rivers, has been slowly flowing out and gradually reducing the reservoir, state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing the water resources ministry. By Saturday afternoon, parts of the lake bed had become visible, CCTV reported. The ministry said satellite imagery of the lake on the Purepu Tsangpo river showed it covered 99,000 square metres early on Saturday, roughly the size of 14 soccer pitches, having shrunk by 21,000 square metres since Thursday. Experts and authorities have warned of an extremely high risk of secondary disasters in the valley, particularly from the lake formed by glacier debris, which could threaten rescue operations downstream. With water draining naturally, water resources ministry experts said search and rescue operations downstream could continue safely if outflows remain low or manageable and recede completely within two to three days. Rescue workers could be notified promptly to evacuate if any abnormalities appear at the lake, with warnings issued more than 30 minutes in advance, CCTV said.This is based on a Reuters report