Lake Could Burst At Any Time: China Warns Of Fresh Threat After Deadly Nepal Floods

Nepal is facing a fresh flood scare four days after a deadly flash flood tore through parts of the country, with China warning that a temporary lake formed upstream could give way at any time, according to an India Today report.

The warning was conveyed by Chinese authorities to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs after changes were observed in the lake, including a steady darkening of the water. Beijing has also said its modelling indicates that a partial failure of the natural barrier would send a maximum flow of around 500 cubic metres per second into the river system.

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What Has Triggered The Fresh Warning?

Chinese authorities have flagged

the changing appearance of the lake as a possible warning sign.

“The colour of the lake that began forming the day before yesterday is continuously becoming darker. This means that it could burst,” the message sent to Nepal said.

China said the volume of water currently held in the lake was not very large. It added that downstream river flows could rise slightly if the barrier gives way, but a significant increase was unlikely.

Communities living downstream have been advised to remain cautious.

How Much Water Has Accumulated?

The temporary lake has formed in the upper reaches of the Lhende river system after debris created a natural barrier following a glacial collapse that is said to have caused the flash flood in Nepal and Tibet earlier this week.

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It lies near the confluence of the Chochen river on the Chinese side and the Purepu river on the Nepali side.

According to China’s Ministry of Water Resources, the lake level has been rising gradually. Around 2.5 million cubic metres of water had accumulated by Friday.

Chinese authorities had earlier estimated that another 3 million cubic metres of water could collect in the lake over the following three days.

What If The Natural Barrier Breaks?

China has carried out flood modelling to assess how much water could move downstream if part of the temporary barrier fails. “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 Chinese message said.

Authorities are also monitoring the area using drones and satellites.

Lake Has Already Begun Overflowing

The lake began overflowing into the Lhende Khola and Trishuli rivers on Friday. By noon, the immediate risk from the overflow was considered manageable, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

The assessment, however, has not removed concerns over a possible breach as Nepal continues to recover from Wednesday’s flash flood.

Nepal Still Reeling From Flood Devastation

Rescue and recovery operations remain underway in Nepal as authorities also track the situation upstream. At least 579 people have been killed in Nepal, while at least seven deaths have been confirmed in Tibet.

The fresh warning has added another layer of concern for downstream areas, with authorities now closely watching both the water level in the temporary lake and the stability of the natural barrier holding it back.