Barrier lake formed near Gyirong Port stable with low risk of breach: official

A barrier lake formed upstream of the mudslide-hit Gyirong Port in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region is currently stable with a low risk of sudden, complete breach, Ren Wei, executive vice chairman of the regional government said at a press conference on Sunday.

Sixteen people have been confirmed dead and 546 others remain missing as of 18:00 Saturday after the mudslide struck the port on the China-Nepal border on Wednesday, according to the regional government.

The most prominent risk hindering disaster response operations has been the barrier lake located directly above the port's core zone, according to Ren.

"Currently, a clear overflow channel has formed at the top of the barrier lake. Yesterday, the outflow volume generally exceeded the inflow volume, and the water surface level declined. Based on a comprehensive assessment, the overall situation of the barrier lake is relatively stable at present, and the risk of a sudden, complete breach is relatively small," he said.

A total of 2,141 rescue workers and 86 specialists have arrived at the area after the mudslide, which was triggered by the collapse of glacier on the Nepalese side at a higher elevation.

All-out efforts are being made to search and rescue people who are missing.

Barrier lake formed near Gyirong Port stable with low risk of breach: official

The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has risen to 734, with 2,498 people still missing, authorities said on Sunday.

According to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the toll was recorded as of 9:00 local time on Sunday.

Separately, the Nepal Tourism Board said 261 foreign tourists had been rescued as of 18:00 on Saturday, with 320 remain missing.

In Nuwakot, one of the most severely affected areas, rescue teams managed to clear just 50 meters of blocked road between Wednesday and Saturday as they worked toward heavily damaged zones.

With rainfall persisting in recent days, crews have had to stay alert for further secondary disasters and repeatedly move affected residents to safer ground, local rescuers introduced. Large volumes of mud and sediment continue to block access, making the rescue effort extremely difficult.

The catastrophic flash flood, triggered by the collapse of a glacier at a higher elevation, swept through Nepal's Bhote Koshi River on Wednesday morning. The disaster swept through three districts, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading, leaving widespread destruction.

Death toll from Nepal's flood rises to 734, with 2,498 missing: disaster authority