KATHMANDU: Rescue teams in Nepal are digging through thick layers of mud and debris in search of survivors two days after a devastating flash flood swept through Himalayan communities, killing at least 469 people and leaving nearly 1,000 others missing in Nepal and neighbouring Tibet. The scale of the destruction has left entire villages cut off, roads and bridges destroyed and families desperately waiting for news of loved ones. With the possibility of another major flood looming, authorities are also racing to prevent a second disaster. The catastrophe began on Wednesday morning after a glacier collapse sent a massive torrent of water, rocks, ice and mud rushing through mountain river systems. The sudden surge tore through settlements along a major route connecting Nepal’s capital Kathmandu with Lhasa in Tibet. The affected region is also popular with trekkers and pilgrims, adding to concerns over the fate of foreign nationals caught in the disaster. Authorities said almost 1,000 people remained missing on both sides of the border. At least 540 of those reported missing are foreigners, according to officials. Rescue teams battle destroyed roads Nepalese rescue workers have been using heavy machinery, helicopters and sniffer dogs to search damaged areas. Helicopters have also been delivering emergency supplies to people stranded in remote towns and valleys where roads have disappeared beneath mud and debris. Rescue operations have been particularly difficult in the mountainous terrain, where landslides and damaged infrastructure have restricted access. In one of the most heartbreaking accounts from the disaster, Dibga Tamang was among the final people rescued from the badly affected town of Rasuwa on Thursday. He was airlifted with three others to an army camp in Nuwakot. Tamang described the devastation in deeply personal terms, saying that his community had been destroyed and that he had lost everyone who mattered to him. His account reflected the grief of hundreds of families still waiting for information about relatives who disappeared when the floodwaters swept through their communities. New flood threat raises alarm Even as rescuers continue searching for survivors, authorities are facing a dangerous new threat. Nepal’s disaster management authorities warned that a debris blockage had created a lake on the Bhotekoshi River. The water level is continuing to rise, raising fears that the natural barrier could collapse and unleash another destructive flood downstream. Across the border, Chinese authorities are also monitoring a rapidly filling barrier lake in Tibet. Chinese officials said around three million cubic metres of water could flow into the already dammed lake over the next three days. That volume is roughly equivalent to 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The situation could become particularly dangerous around September 1, when officials expect the water flow to reach its peak. Chinese state media reported that authorities had deployed an eight-member engineering team to carry out aerial surveys and three-dimensional modelling of the barrier lake. Engineers are studying whether a drainage channel can be constructed through the natural dam to lower the lake’s water level. However, the operation is complicated by steep cliffs and unstable terrain created by the glacier collapse. Engineer Chen Hanxiao told Chinese state broadcaster CCTV that experts needed precise calculations of the lake’s filling rate and the speed at which water could pass through a proposed drainage channel. Teams are also expected to monitor the lake floor, collect additional data and keep a close watch on weather conditions in the coming days. Gyirong border crossing badly damaged On the Chinese side, the Gyirong border crossing has emerged as one of the worst-hit locations. Chinese rescue teams had yet to reach the most severely affected area by Thursday evening, with crews concentrating on clearing debris from the road leading to Gyirong Port. Dramatic footage from the disaster showed huge torrents of muddy water and debris racing through the border crossing within seconds. Structures were engulfed while people scrambled to escape. Authorities said 558 people were missing in Gyirong County, including 260 foreign nationals. Three deaths had been confirmed on the Chinese side at the time of the report. The seriousness of the disaster was underscored by the visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Gyirong on Thursday. His presence signalled the high priority Beijing has placed on the rescue and relief operation. Families wait desperately for news Far from the disaster zone, relatives of missing people have been searching for answers. Sneha Sudhir, from Chantilly, Virginia, is among those desperately waiting for news. Her husband was part of a group of 10 men from northern Virginia who travelled from Nepal towards Tibet’s Mount Kailash when the disaster struck. Several Americans are believed to be among those still missing. Sudhir said families were supporting one another while contacting officials, politicians, friends and relatives in the United States and India in an effort to locate their loved ones. Her account captured the painful uncertainty facing families who do not know whether their relatives survived. US President Donald Trump said the United States had offered assistance to Nepal following the disaster. “Nobody’s ever seen anything quite like that,” Trump said, describing the destruction and promising American support. Bodies recovered hundreds of kilometres away The force of the flood was so immense that bodies were carried far from the areas initially hit by the torrent. Ganesh Aryal, administrator of Nepal’s Chitwan district, said authorities had recovered 103 bodies from the river system in his district. Chitwan lies around 100 kilometres from the worst-hit areas around Trishuli, highlighting the extraordinary reach of the floodwaters. Local hospitals have struggled to accommodate the large number of bodies recovered. Authorities have therefore been preparing tents and other facilities where families can identify and claim the remains of their relatives. Government faces major test Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah visited flood-hit Nuwakot on Thursday and acknowledged the severity of the situation. He said government agencies were operating at full capacity, with the immediate priorities being the rescue of missing people, treatment of the injured and delivery of emergency assistance to affected families. The disaster presents a
