29/08/26, Chinese authorities told Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 China has warned Nepal that a temporary lake formed in the upper reaches of the Lhende river system could breach its banks at any time, even as rescue efforts continue following devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border.

According to an India Today report, Chinese authorities told Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the colour of the newly formed lake had been steadily darkening, which could signal an increased risk of a breach.

"The colour of the lake that began forming the day before yesterday is continuously becoming darker. This means that it could burst," the Chinese message said.

Beijing, however, indicated that the consequences of a breach could remain limited because the lake does not contain a very large volume of water. It said that even if part of the natural dam gives way, the maximum flow entering the river system could reach 500 cubic metres per second.

"If part of the dam breaks, the maximum water flow could be 500 cubic meters per second. It will remain confined within the river's banks," the message said.

The lake was created after debris from a glacial collapse formed a natural dam near the meeting point of the Chochen river on the Chinese side and the Purepu river on the Nepali side. The glacial collapse is believed to have triggered the catastrophic flash flooding that struck parts of Nepal and Tibet earlier this week.

China's Ministry of Water Resources said the lake's water level was continuing to rise, with around 2.5 million cubic metres of water accumulated by Friday. Earlier, Chinese authorities had estimated that another 3 million cubic metres could enter the lake over the following three days.

Chinese authorities have been using drones and satellites to observe the area and have also conducted flood modelling to estimate the possible impact of a breach. On Friday, the lake began spilling into the Lhende Khola and Trishuli rivers. By noon, China's state broadcaster CCTV assessed the resulting risk as manageable.

China advised people living downstream to remain alert, while the possibility of another flood has continued to concern authorities as Nepal deals with the aftermath of Wednesday's disaster. The flash floods have killed at least 587 people in Nepal, while seven deaths have been confirmed in Tibet.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said 12 people from Assam who remain untraced in Nepal have now been identified by name and other details. Efforts are underway to contact them, determine their whereabouts and arrange their safe rescue.

"Till now we have been able to establish details of 12 people from Assam who are yet to be traced in Nepal. Efforts are underway to establish connection with them and safely rescue them," Sarma said in a social media post on Friday.

The list released with his update includes Rhitoupormo Brahma, Montri Basumatary, Soneswar Narzary, Rahul Daimary, Shatadal Nath, Pankaj Naug, Pankaj Barman, Arun Mahanta, Samar Bezbaruah, Dr Dipali Sarkar, Manash Kr Ghosh and Dr Tirtha Chaliha.

The 12 are from different parts of Assam, including Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Hojai, Kamrup Metropolitan and Nalbari. Their whereabouts remain unconfirmed amid continuing rescue and relief operations, with damaged communication and transport links complicating efforts to reach people stranded or missing in the affected areas.

The Assam government is coordinating with agencies and authorities involved in the rescue operation as families await information on the safety of the 12 people

Source: Network18