China has warned that a debris-dammed lake formed after a landslide near the Nepal–Tibet border could burst and trigger a second, potentially dangerous flood downstream. The risk has forced the suspension of some search and rescue operations after Wednesday’s deadly flash flood, which scientists believe began when part of a glacier near Langtang Lirung collapsed into a river.

By Friday morning, the lake held an estimated 2.5 million cubic metres of water, with a further three million cubic metres expected to enter it between Thursday and Saturday. It has already begun overflowing, while heavy rain continues; more than 550 people are missing on the Tibetan side alone, and Nepali authorities have also warned residents to avoid the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.