Nepal, China resume flood rescue

Nepal and China resumed rescue operations on Friday after a brief suspension triggered by an overflowing barrier lake, as authorities said the immediate threat of further flooding had eased but warned that unstable glacial lakes remained a danger.

A glacier collapse on Wednesday unleashed a torrent of rock, ice, mud and debris through Himalayan river systems, killing at least 579 people in Nepal and five in China's Tibet, while the number missing in Nepal nearly doubled to 1,924.

At least 558 people were also missing in Tibet's Gyirong County, including 260 foreign nationals, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported. More than 90,000 people were estimated to have been affected by the disaster, according to the Red Cross.

The flooding created a lake that began overflowing into the Lhende Khola and Trishuli rivers on Friday, prompting panic and warnings from Nepali authorities. Rescue operations were suspended for about three hours, while Chinese rescuers and vehicles also withdrew from the area.

The rescue operations resumed after officials judged the risk manageable, with Nepali authorities saying they remained hopeful of finding survivors despite the devastation across villages, valleys and transport routes.

Nepal continued to monitor two barrier lakes upstream from the flood zone, with authorities warning that flood risks would persist until both lakes had fully drained. Satellite imagery showed the second lake growing larger without a visible outlet, raising concerns over increasing water pressure.

China's state-run Xinhua news agency said the first barrier lake was shrinking, citing analysis by the country's water resources ministry. A Chinese government geohazards expert, however, warned that the lake could remain unstable and that more than 100 glacial lakes in the wider area posed potential threats.

The flooding destroyed power stations, roads and bridges along a route connecting Kathmandu with Lhasa in Tibet, an area popular with trekkers and pilgrims. At least 540 of those missing were foreigners, many believed to be Hindu pilgrims from India travelling towards Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.

Ten bodies were found at three locations in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state, police told Reuters, after being carried downstream in rivers flowing from Nepal. In Beijing, a Politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping called for stronger monitoring of glacier lakes and landslide risks, according to Xinhua.

In the United States, relatives of missing trekkers also waited anxiously for information. Sneha Sudhir, whose husband was among 10 men from northern Virginia travelling on a trek to Mount Kailash, asked: "Where are they?"