China and Nepal in a race against time: efforts to prevent another flood disaster

A massive lake formed following recent floods on the China-Nepal border is expected to fill further in the coming days, raising fears of a potential burst. Authorities are concerned that a breach would endanger everyone currently in the valleys engaged in ongoing rescue operations.

Chinese state media reports that the lake has begun to overflow, leading to a temporary suspension of search and rescue efforts. China has dispatched an engineering team to survey the site and is considering digging a drainage channel to reduce water levels and alleviate pressure on the natural dam.

Persistent rainfall in the region continues to destabilize soil and rock formations in the mountains. The barrier lake currently measures approximately 150 meters in length, with depths ranging from 40 to 50 meters.

"The general approach to reducing the threat is digging a drainage channel at a low point in the dam, but the depth and width of the channel require precise calculations based on the water flow rate and the filling speed of the lake," explained Chen Anxiao, a member of the engineering team.

The risk is exacerbated by forecasts predicting an inflow of three million cubic meters of water over the next three days—a volume equal to roughly 1,200 Olympic swimming pools. Chinese authorities have warned of a high risk of the dam bursting, with peak flow expected around September 1.

Meanwhile, the search continues for nearly 1,000 people reported missing on both sides of the border. Official sources state that the missing include 540 citizens from 31 different countries, among them an Israeli national with whom contact remains lost. The death toll from the disaster has risen to 469. Aerial footage shows vast amounts of water accumulating in a basin with no apparent outlet, pressing against a massive accumulation of debris and stone.