Threat of lake burst after glacial collapse near Nepal-Tibet disaster site eases

Threat of lake burst after glacial collapse near Nepal-Tibet disaster site eases LIZ LEE AND YUKUN ZHANG REUTERS PUBLISHED 1 HOUR AGO Open this photo in gallery: A disaster rescue personnel looks on at the site of damaged buildings in the aftermath of flash floods at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal's Nuwakot district on Saturday. MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER Listen to this article Learn more about audio Log in or create a free account to listen to this article. The threat of a lake formed after a glacier collapse bursting near the Nepal-Tibet border, where a devastating flood struck earlier this week, has eased, Chinese authorities said on Saturday, as it appears to have shrunk. Satellite images from Thursday to Saturday morning suggest that water in the lake, which straddles the border between China’s Tibet region and Nepal at the confluence of two rivers, has been slowly flowing out and gradually reducing the reservoir, state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing the Water Resources Ministry. By Saturday afternoon, parts of the lake bed had become visible, CCTV reported. The ministry said satellite imagery of the lake on the Purepu Tsangpo river showed it covered 99,000 square metres early on Saturday, roughly the size of 14 soccer pitches, having shrunk by 21,000 square metres since Thursday. Fears of second catastrophe in Nepal and Tibet as lake formed by flood overflows A glacier collapse on Wednesday sent a torrent of rock, ice, mud and debris through Himalayan river systems, sweeping away a border port complex linking Tibet with Nepal, killing hundreds and leaving thousands missing. Risks under watch Experts and authorities have warned of an extremely high risk of secondary disasters in the valley, particularly from the lake formed by glacier debris, which could threaten rescue operations downstream. With water draining naturally, Water Resources Ministry experts said search and rescue operations downstream could continue safely if outflows remain low or manageable and recede completely within two to three days. Rescue workers could be notified promptly to evacuate if any abnormalities appear at the lake, with warnings issued more than 30 minutes in advance, CCTV cited the experts as saying. State-owned engineering and rescue company China Anneng, which has been monitoring the lake since Thursday, has deployed radar and drones around the lake for 24-hour surveillance, CCTV said. Initial overflow from the…