Authorities in Nepal have issued a warning of potential new flooding on Sunday, advising residents in flood-affected regions to stay vigilant as water levels in the Bhotekoshi River have escalated. Flood alerts were sent out to people’s mobile devices early Sunday as rescue teams worked to clear a vital highway linking Kathmandu to an area severely impacted by devastating floods last Wednesday. The catastrophic floods claimed a minimum of 800 lives and left over 3,000 individuals missing in Nepal and Tibet.
The recent alerts followed a notification from Chinese authorities to their Nepalese counterparts about heightened water flow upstream, as mentioned by Dharam Raj Uprety, the head of Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. According to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, referring to the Ministry of Water Resources, a new lake formed post-Wednesday’s floods in the high mountainous regions has largely drained. However, the ministry cautioned about a crater located 5.6 kilometers upstream, holding approximately 1.4 million cubic meters of water, still posing a risk and necessitating close monitoring.
As per Nepal’s disaster agency, the death toll has risen to 788 with 2,502 individuals missing, while Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing on their side of the border. Among the missing are numerous individuals from various countries who were in the region for work, tourism, or religious purposes. Chinese state media indicated that 261 foreigners, including over 100 Nepalis and individuals from around the globe, were missing in Tibet.
Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Anita Anand, disclosed on social media that a previously missing Canadian had been located safely. However, 31 Canadians remain unaccounted for, with the number subject to change as more information emerges. Families of missing Canadians have been reaching out to the Canadian government for assistance, seeking resources like thermal and infrared cameras to aid in the search efforts in Nepal.
Rescue operations are ongoing at multiple hydroelectric projects, including a significant operation at the Upper Trishuli complex, where about 350 individuals were potentially trapped inside a tunnel. Around 10,000 Nepali troops, along with specialists from China and India, are engaged in rescue operations at the tunnels, as stated by Uprety. Prime Minister Balen Shah’s office reported that a team of rescuers and soldiers worked overnight at Upper Trishuli, with a video posted on social media showing a helicopter transporting heavy machinery to the area.
In the severely affected Dhading region in Nepal, some locals have started returning to destroyed homes to salvage belongings. The devastation caused by the floods has left homes, vehicles, and farm equipment submerged in mud, with essential services like electricity still disrupted. Repair work on the Prithivi Highway, a critical supply route for Kathmandu, is underway, although some sections are still facing challenges.
Residents in flood-affected villages are grappling with continuous alarms and evacuation alerts, adding to the distress caused by the ongoing natural disaster. The flash floods triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayan region have underscored the urgent need for a global response to climate change. Nepal, despite contributing minimally to global emissions, is experiencing a disproportionate impact from climate change, emphasizing the vulnerability of mountainous regions to environmental disasters.