Authorities in Nepal have issued a warning about potential new flooding and advised residents in flood-affected areas to stay vigilant as water levels in the Bhotekoshi River have risen. Early on Sunday, flood alerts were sent to people’s mobile phones while rescue teams cleared a major highway linking Kathmandu to one of the hardest-hit regions by Wednesday’s devastating floods. The death toll in Nepal and Tibet has reached at least 800, with over 3,000 individuals reported missing.
Chinese authorities notified Nepalese officials of an increased water flow upstream, prompting the latest alerts. The formation of a new lake after the initial floods has mostly drained, as reported by China’s Ministry of Water Resources through Xinhua. However, a crater upstream still holds a considerable amount of water, posing a risk that requires continuous monitoring.
The number of casualties in Nepal stands at 788 with 2,502 individuals missing, while Chinese authorities have confirmed 16 deaths and 546 people missing on their side of the border. Among the missing are numerous individuals from various countries who were in the area for work, tourism, or religious purposes. Efforts to locate missing persons, including 261 foreigners in Tibet, are ongoing.
Meanwhile, in Canada, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, announced that a previously missing Canadian has been found safe. However, 31 Canadians remain unaccounted for, with families seeking assistance from the government. Requests include sharing resources like thermal and infrared cameras with Nepal and appointing a point of contact for each affected family. The Canadian government has yet to provide a substantive response.
Rescue operations are active at multiple hydroelectric projects, with a significant focus on the Upper Trishuli complex. Around 10,000 Nepali troops, supported by specialists from China and India, are engaged in tunnel rescue missions. Families in affected regions are returning to damaged homes, salvaging belongings from the mud, and assessing the destruction caused by the floods.
The catastrophic flash floods were triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayan region, resulting in massive devastation in Tibet and Nepal. The impact of climate change on such disasters was emphasized by Nepal’s foreign affairs minister, calling for global attention to the country’s disproportionate vulnerability despite its minimal contribution to global emissions. Scientists caution that as the planet warms due to human activities, the risk of such calamities, particularly in the Himalayas, becomes more pronounced.
