Death toll in Nepal floods touches 469, 1500 including 178 Indians missing

KATHMANDU: The death toll from the flash floods in Nepal has touched 469. Reports say more than 1,500 people are missing. According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 178 Indians are missing, while 11 have been rescued. Those missing include people who had gone trekking in the Himalayas, as well as Hindu pilgrims who had travelled to Mount Kailash, the snow-covered sacred mountain in Tibet.

China issues new warning
A warning has been issued along the Tibet–Nepal border. Authorities have cautioned that flooding could occur in low-lying areas following the floods that struck the area on Wednesday. A lake has formed near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purépu Tsangpo rivers as a result of the flooding. China’s Ministry of Water Resources has also warned about the threat posed by the newly formed lake.

As of Thursday morning, around two million cubic metres of water had accumulated in the lake. With continuous rainfall continuing in the area, the inflow into the lake is expected to reach nearly three million cubic metres, raising the risk of further accidents and disasters, authorities warned.

China has also cautioned that water from the lake could flow downstream and reach low-lying areas along the China–Nepal border, including the Gyirong Port, potentially causing further damage. China classifies natural disasters into four warning levels. The warning issued at present is Level IV, the lowest level of warning.