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Rescue operations for people missing along the Nepal-China border have been suspended after authorities received reports that another water-retaining dam in Tibet was overflowing, raising fears of a fresh breach.
The dam was formed when debris accumulated on a mountain slope following a glacial landslide. Water had been building up behind it over the past two days and began overflowing.
Nepal Police said in a statement on Friday that they had received information about another water-retaining dam breaking on the Tibetan side. Rescuers were subsequently warned to move to higher and safer ground.
Chinese authorities reported similar developments, saying a lake formed after severe flooding along the Tibet-Nepal border had begun overflowing, forcing them to suspend rescue efforts.
Hundreds of people were killed and homes and other structures destroyed in flash floods in the border areas of the two countries on Wednesday. Around 1,500 people are still missing, while authorities have issued warnings of another wave of mountain floods.
Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting with senior officials on Friday to discuss rescue operations in Tibet. According to state-run Xinhua, officials warned that glaciers, glacial lakes and geological hazards in surrounding areas still pose hidden risks, making rescue operations extremely challenging.