Nepal and China issue fresh flood warnings as Himalayan lakes threaten to burst
Nepal’s disaster authority warned on Aug 27 that a newly formed lake behind a debris dam could burst at any moment, while China said 3 million cubic metres of water—enough to fill 1,200 Olympic pools—was heading toward…
Source: The Star Malaysia · August 27, 2026 at 8:01 PM · AI-assisted report
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NEPAL, CHINA, TIBET AUTONOMOUS REGION, TRISHULI VALLEY, HIMALAYAS, MALAYSIA, 28 AUGUST 2026 —
Nepal’s disaster authority warned on Aug 27 that a newly formed lake behind a debris dam could burst at any moment, while China said 3 million cubic metres of water—enough to fill 1,200 Olympic pools—was heading toward its side of the border over the next three days.
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The dual alerts came as search and rescue teams in Nepal’s Trishuli valley and China’s Tibet region continued combing debris-strewn slopes for more than 1,000 still-missing people after Wednesday’s glacier collapse sent rock, ice and mud cascading into rivers. At least 362 people have been confirmed dead.
The Nepal authority told downstream communities to evacuate immediately, citing rising water behind the unstable blockage. “Residents along the lower banks, rescue personnel and all concerned are requested to stay in safe places away from river banks,” the notice said.
China’s water resources ministry told state media the incoming surge would raise the level of an already dammed lake, with peak inflow expected around Sept 1. “The volume of water is still climbing and so is the risk,” hydrology researcher Zhu Jinfeng told CCTV.
Rainfall across the coming week will intensify the danger, China warned.
In Nepal, rescue coordinator Pawan Koirala and his 13-person team began moving their operations uphill after the alert. “We are here to save lives and do not want to be anywhere near a new disaster zone,” Koirala said.
Both governments attributed the disaster to the sudden collapse of a glacier that plugged river channels with tonnes of sediment, creating two unstable lakes on opposite sides of the Himalayas.
Related: Pawan Koirala