The Chinese government on Friday said the collapse of a glacier in\nthe Nepalese highlands is suspected to have triggered the disaster on\nboth sides of the border that killed at least 480 people.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe note that experts and official institutions from China and Nepal\nhave conducted a preliminary assessment of the cause of the disaster,\u201d\nChinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing\nwhen asked about the flash floods that struck northern and central Nepal\nand the southern Tibet region of China on Wednesday, 26 August 2026.<\/p>\n
In addition, President Xi Jinping directed officials to make every\neffort to search for all Chinese citizens and foreign nationals who\nremain missing.<\/p>\n
Floods and landslides struck northern and central Nepal, sweeping\nthrough settlements along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers and\ncarrying people and debris downstream.<\/p>\n
On the Chinese side of the border, mudslides hit Gyirong County in\nthe southwestern Xizang Autonomous Region, also known as Tibet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe disaster was likely triggered by the collapse of a glacier in\nthe Nepalese highlands,\u201d Lin said.<\/p>\n
The statement was issued by Beijing as the death toll from the\ndevastating flash floods rose to 480, while more than 1,200 people,\nmostly foreign nationals, remain missing.<\/p>\n
Nepalese police said the death toll from the flash floods had reached\n475, while China confirmed five deaths.<\/p>\n
New concerns emerged on Friday after a large barrier lake formed by\nthe flash floods was reported to have burst and could trigger another\nsurge of water into the Bhotekoshi River in Nepal, according to a report\nby the Kathmandu Post newspaper.<\/p>\n
Beijing on Thursday, 27 August, warned that a lake near the\nconfluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers had \u201calready\noverflowed\u201d and was at high risk of bursting.<\/p>\n
The two rivers merge before entering Nepal, where the flow is known\nas the Bhotekoshi River, a major tributary of the Trishuli River.<\/p>\n
\u201cInformation has been received that the lake on the Chinese side has\nburst. Therefore, preparations are being made to dispatch helicopters\nstationed in Dhunche and Rasuwa to conduct reconnaissance,\u201d said a\nrescue official at Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/china-says-glacier-collapse-in-nepal-triggered-flash-floods-that-killed-hundreds-1787939417", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }