Nepal Warns of New Flood Risk After Dam Breach in Himalaya

Nepal's police said on Friday that a dam had broken on the Tibetan side of the Himalaya, raising fears of a new flood in the region. Security personnel, rescue workers and residents in the affected area have been urged to remain vigilant and move to a safe place immediately, the statement added. According to reports citing the army, Nepalese rescue teams temporarily halted their work.

Chinese rescue workers in Tibet had already suspended their search and recovery operations at the severely damaged border post of Gyirong for safety reasons. The newly formed lake had already raised concerns among Chinese authorities on Thursday, as it had collected two million cubic meters of water, with more still flowing in. It was threatening to overflow and trigger another flash flood.

Whether there was any damage or additional casualties was initially unclear. China's state television had earlier reported that water at a lake in the region, which formed after Wednesday's flash flood, had "flowed off naturally" and that the water level had dropped significantly, with the danger receding. The death toll from the initial flash flood has risen to 469.