China has issued a severe warning that a barrier lake formed by landslides along the Tibet-Nepal border could burst within the next seventy-two hours, potentially triggering catastrophic flash floods downstream, according to reports from state broadcaster CCTV and international monitoring groups. Local authorities in Nepal have responded by ordering evacuations in vulnerable riverine districts.
The natural dam formed near the confluence of the Chochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers held approximately two million cubic meters of water on Thursday morning and was already overflowing. China’s Ministry of Water Resources projects that an additional three million cubic meters of water could flow into the lake over the next three days, sharply increasing pressure on the fragile natural barrier. A sudden collapse could send massive surges of water rushing down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river basins.
This looming threat follows a devastating sequence of floods and landslides across the Himalayan border region that have already resulted in hundreds of fatalities and widespread displacement. Rescue operations led by Nepalese and Chinese authorities have faced severe logistical challenges due to damaged infrastructure and continuous rainfall in rugged terrain. Emergency officials in Sindhupalchok and Rasuwa districts remain on high alert, urging residents near riverbanks to relocate to higher ground immediately.
