China halts Tibet rescue operation over renewed flood risk

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China paused a rescue operation on Friday citing the high risk of renewed flooding in Tibet, where hundreds remain missing two days after a deadly mudslide, state media said.

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A lake formed by immense piles of debris after a mudslide hit the China-Nepal border has begun overflowing towards the area that rescue teams were headed, state broadcaster CCTV said.

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“All rescue teams have been ordered to stand by in place and wait for further instructions,” it said.

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Emergency teams which had earlier accessed the area “have been ordered to withdraw one kilometre (0.6 miles)”, the broadcaster added.

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The lake formed after a wall of mud and debris hit the border hub of Gyirong in Tibet on Wednesday, with hundreds reported missing.

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CCTV said water levels at the lake were expected to rise over the next three days due to continued rainfall, peaking around September 1.

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This increases “the risk of a breach that could send floodwaters downstream and potentially cause further damage in areas including Gyirong Port and elsewhere downstream”, state news agency Xinhua reported late Thursday.

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Emergency engineering teams were closely monitoring the situation, said CCTV.

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CCTV said that 499 Chinese nationals and 555 foreigners had been transported out of the disaster zone as of Friday.

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Rescue workers are using drone-based 3D modelling and thermal imaging detection, as well as manual searches, to locate those still missing, said CCTV.

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AFP

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