A large barrier lake near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers in Nepal has reportedly breached, raising fears of another surge of water into the Bhotekoshi River.Rasuwa chief district officer Narendra Pariyar said on Friday that the Nepali Army had informed him that the lake had breached, as cited by the Kathmandu Post.The development comes a day after Chinese authorities warned that the flood-formed lake was overflowing and faced a high risk of breaching as rising water levels continued to feed into it.China’s ministry of water resources said the lake had accumulated around 2 million cubic metres of water by Thursday morning and was already overflowing, heightening concerns over a possible breach.Chinese authorities said they were closely monitoring the lake, conducting flood simulations and hydrological assessments to determine the potential impact of a breach and prepare for emergency rescue and flood-control measures.The Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo originate in Tibet and merge before flowing into Nepal, where the river is known as the Bhotekoshi. It is the principal upper tributary of the Trishuli River.A glacier collapse in Tibet triggered severe flash floods and mudslides along the China-Nepal border, leaving at least 475 people dead and several missing, according to authorities in the two countries. The figures vary across agencies, reflecting differences in data collection, verification and coordination.Nepal is preparing to conduct an aerial reconnaissance mission over the Bhotekoshi River and surrounding areas of Rasuwa to assess the potential impact of the reported lake breach.An official at the Rescue Coordination Centre at Tribhuvan International Airport said helicopters stationed in Dhunche and other parts of Rasuwa would be deployed for the operation, with no additional aircraft being sent from Kathmandu.
