Nepal Orders Rescuers to Safety as New Flood Risks Emerge After Deadly Disaster

Nepal Orders Rescuers to Safety as New Flood Risks Emerge, Death Toll Rises to 472

KATHMANDU/TIBET — Authorities in Nepal have ordered rescue teams to evacuate flood-hit areas as a debris dam burst in Tibet, raising the risk of further torrents and complicating ongoing search efforts. The death toll from the disaster has risen to 472, with more than 1,400 people still missing, including trekkers and Hindu pilgrims.

The catastrophe, described as the deadliest in Nepal since the 2015 earthquake, was triggered by a glacial collapse that sent a massive wall of water and mud crashing through valleys, destroying homes, bridges, and vehicles. The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that the event resulted from a glacial avalanche, which unleashed a vast flow of ice and debris.

A new threat emerged Friday when a debris-formed lake in Tibet burst, prompting Nepali police to instruct all rescuers to "immediately move to a safe location." Chinese state media reported that a lake created by debris piles had begun overflowing toward areas where rescue teams were operating. As a precaution, emergency workers in Tibet’s Gyirong district were ordered to withdraw at least one kilometer from the affected zone.

Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired an emergency meeting Friday, highlighting the "many hidden dangers of glaciers, ice lakes, and geological disasters" in the region and acknowledging the "great difficulties" facing rescue operations.

Food and water supplies are running low in the worst-affected areas, where rescuers continue to search for survivors. The Nepali military reported locating people trapped in a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project, though access remains challenging. Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet told AFP that two helicopters have been deployed, but thick debris and collapsed structures are making it difficult to locate entry points. More than 100 people remain trapped in the tunnel, while 350 have already been rescued.

Survivors described the disaster as unfolding within minutes. Worker Buddha Tamang, who was airlifted to safety after being stranded for over 24 hours, said he survived because he was inside a tunnel when the flood struck. "The senior officers working on the other side, they were all swept away," he recounted.

In a makeshift hospital in Nepal, families waited in anguish for news of missing loved ones. Kula Priya, whose eldest son remains unaccounted for, said she had lost three homes in the floods. "I don’t care for wealth. I just want my son back. If any of you could rescue my son, please do it for me," she pleaded.

Nepali police have reported 469 fatalities, while Indian authorities recovered seven bodies from rivers flowing from Nepal, believed to be flood victims. A total of 910 people, including 517 foreign tourists, are unaccounted for in Nepal. India has the largest number of missing foreigners, followed by the United States, which reports 90 citizens out of contact.

In Tibet, where access is heavily restricted, officials report hundreds missing and three deaths. Authorities have evacuated 555 stranded tourists and 499 Chinese residents. Among the missing are scores of Hindu pilgrims, including 17 Malaysians last heard from Wednesday morning as they traveled toward the Nepal-China border. Their families expressed growing anxiety over their fate.

The disaster has underscored the urgent need for coordinated regional response efforts amid escalating flood risks and ongoing search operations. Authorities continue to warn of potential secondary hazards as glacier-fed lakes and unstable terrain pose further threats to rescue workers and survivors.