The Albany Gazette - Nepal-Tibet flood rescue resumes after overflowing debris lake forces temporary withdrawal

Rescue operations on the Nepal-Tibet border resumed after teams temporarily withdrew when a lake formed by landslide debris began overflowing and raised the risk of further flooding. Residents in Nepal's Rasuwa district were seen moving to higher ground as the Trishuli River rose again.Authorities in Nepal and China said at least 543 people had been killed in the disaster at the time of the report. Nepalese police and tourism officials listed 826 people as missing, including more than 500 foreign citizens. Chinese state media said at least 558 people were missing on the Tibet side of the border, including at least 260 foreign nationals.The initial flood on Wednesday destroyed power stations, roads and bridges along the route between Kathmandu and Lhasa. Bidur, the capital of Nuwakot district in Nepal's Bagmati province, was heavily damaged by mud, rocks and debris. Many affected areas could be reached only by military helicopter.Nepal said it did not yet require foreign search-and-rescue teams, despite offers of assistance from several countries. Foreign ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri said Nepal's own security agencies were conducting the operation. Officials also rejected suggestions that the decision was driven by political sensitivity around the border with Tibet.The Nepalese army was also conducting rescues at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project, where people had been trapped in a tunnel. The prime minister's office said 350 workers and local residents had been rescued. CCTV reported that 499 Chinese nationals and 555 foreign citizens had been transported out of the disaster zone by Friday. Chinese authorities had confirmed three deaths in Tibet, while information from the region remained limited.

(M.Scott--TAG)