A new barrier lake has begun forming downstream of an existing landslide dam near the Gyirong Port on the China-Nepal border after a fresh landslide struck on Saturday night, the Ministry of Emergency Management said Sunday.
Monitoring drones detected that the latest landslide occurred 2.8 kilometers downstream of the Purepu Tsangpo barrier lake that had formed following the massive mudslide on the China-Nepal border on Wednesday, creating a new landslide dam that is now impounding water into a new barrier lake.
In response, the ministry quickly assembled experts to assess the situation and moved emergency rescue personnel near the Gyirong Port to safe ground.
To support the ongoing rescue and relief operations, the ministry has deployed reconnaissance and heavy-lift drones under its "Swift Emergency Response" UAV cooperation mechanism. The drones are monitoring the evolving situation at the Purepu Tsangpo barrier lake and its downstream barriers, while experts are conducting rolling consultations to guide local rescue and disaster response efforts.
The catastrophic mudslide, which occurred on the Nepalese side of the border at around 10:30 on Wednesday, struck the Gyirong Port in Gyirong County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Barrier lakes were subsequently formed, posing risks to disaster response operations.
New barrier lake forming 2.8km downstream of existing landslide dam on Chinese-Nepal border
Grief-stricken families in Nepal are anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones as rescue crews race to find more survivors buried among the debris from the catastrophic flash floods the resulting mudslide that swept through the north of the country on Wednesday.
The flash floods, triggered by the collapse of a glacier at a higher elevation, tore through Nepal's Bhote Koshi river in a matter of minutes. The disaster swept the Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts, causing widespread destruction and mass casualties.
Nepali authorities confirmed Sunday that the death toll has risen to 734, with nearly 2,500 people still missing.
The disasters has devastated entire communities, leaving towns and villages utterly shell-shocked. For Tara Tamang, a survivor from Trishuli Bazaar in the Nuwakot district, the loss is almost unimaginable as she is now the lone surviving member of her family.
"I have lost my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law, my nieces and nephews, my siblings. I was rescued, but I can't contact my family. Now what will happen?" said Tamang, her voice shaking with grief.
Search and rescue teams are working around the clock in the valleys and hillsides lost under thick layers of debris. Helicopters have been deployed to reach inaccessible terrain, while ground crews struggle to clear the only major trade route between Nepal and China, which has been completely buried by landslides and mud.
For many survivors, the wait for news is agonizing. Krishna Bahadur Bhujel, who has come out to search for a missing loved one, expressed the frustration felt by countless families.
"Mobile messages say that the person you are trying to reach cannot be contacted and it's been an hour since the phones have been switched off. So, we have come here to find my son-in-law," he said.
The disaster has reduced entire villages to rubble, and with roads cut off, some survivors are making the arduous journey on foot to see what remains of their homes.
"I am saddened to see that many have lost their loved ones. I have been crying for their loss. For me, my house is gone. A shelter we worked hard to build," said Saraswati Silwal, another survivor.
The challenging conditions are hindering the search and rescue progress, with one rescue worker describing the difficulties they are facing on the ground.
"Since the debris is slushy and loose, it is becoming difficult to operate the bulldozers. If it was dry, we would have carried out our operation efficiently. I was stuck for a long time in the sludge," said Pawan Koirala, the rescue team member.
With each passing hour, hope is fading for those still unaccounted for, as the nation mourns the immense loss of life and livelihoods in one of its deadliest natural disasters in years.
Grief-stricken families await news as Nepali flood death toll rises
Grief-stricken families await news as Nepali flood death toll rises
