Culture & Entertainment · India Bureau
China raises alert as barrier lake threatens Nepal border communities
Chinese authorities have activated a Level-IV emergency alert following devastating flash floods in Tibet, warning that a rapidly filling barrier lake poses a significant risk of breaching and inundating downstream areas along the Nepal border.
LSN India ·
China's Ministry of Water Resources issued the emergency alert Thursday evening after a barrier lake formed at the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Both rivers originate in Tibet and eventually flow into Nepal as part of the Bhote Koshi river system, placing downstream communities in both countries at potential risk.
According to state reports, the newly formed lake had accumulated approximately two million cubic metres of water by Thursday morning. Chinese forecasts indicate that continued rainfall could push inflows to around three million cubic metres over the next three days, significantly raising the danger of the barrier breaching.
Under China's natural disaster response system, Level-IV represents the lowest alert level on a four-tier scale, with Level-I being the most severe. The activation of even a lower-tier alert underscores the seriousness of the situation, as officials monitor the structural integrity of the natural dam and prepare for potential flooding impacts in both Tibet and downstream Nepal.
No immediate reports of casualties or major damage have been disclosed, though authorities have heightened surveillance and disaster preparedness measures in affected regions near the border.