Kathmandu, Aug 28: Nepal has issued a fresh flood warning after authorities reported a renewed rise in debris-laden water flow in the Bhote Koshi River, raising fears of another flood even as rescue and relief operations continue in areas devastated by the August 26 disaster.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said on Friday that it had received information about a lake outburst in the Tibetan region of China, prompting concerns that another surge of floodwaters could move downstream into Nepal.
In an official notice, the authority said water mixed with mud and debris had again increased in the same stretch of the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa district where a major flood struck on August 26. It urged all personnel engaged in rescue and relief work along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers, as well as people remaining in high-risk locations, to exercise the highest level of caution and move immediately to safer areas if any danger is observed.
Nepal Police also issued a public warning after receiving reports of the lake outburst in the Tibetan region. The force advised residents and emergency personnel involved in rescue operations to remain alert to the possibility of another flood.
The latest warning comes as Nepal continues to deal with the aftermath of the catastrophic flooding that has claimed at least 469 lives. According to figures released earlier on Friday by the NDRRMA, 977 people remain out of contact, including 517 foreign nationals.
Earlier, the Water Resources Research and Development Centre under Nepal’s Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation said information received from the Chinese side indicated that the lake formed after the river was blocked had not yet drained completely.
In a statement issued on Thursday night, the centre said the possibility of another surge in water flow in the Upper Bhote Koshi area could not be ruled out. It stressed the need for continuous monitoring of the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system until conditions stabilise.
The centre also noted that the situation at the river blockage site in the Upper Bhote Koshi region had not fully returned to normal, meaning the risk across the Bhote Koshi, Trishuli and Narayani river systems could not yet be considered over.
Against this backdrop, authorities have directed security personnel deployed for rescue and relief operations along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers to remain on high alert as monitoring continues in vulnerable areas.
