A fresh flash flood warning has been issued for after a magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit China’s Sichuan province on Friday. Nepal Police have launched an operation to evacuate locals near the Trishuli area as a heavy flow of water from above threatens to raise the river’s water level, news agency ANI reported.
The 5.1-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Longchang City in Sichuan Province, southwestern China, the China Earthquake Networks Centre said, according to ANI, which cited CGTN.
Amid the developments, Nepal Police issued another warning after receiving information that a dam on the Tibet side had burst again.
Police, in a post on X, called on security personnel, rescue teams engaged in relief and rescue efforts, and members of the public to stay alert, shift to safer areas and alert others if necessary.
Meanwhile, the number of people killed in the devastating flash flood in Nepal’s Rasuwa district climbed to 469 on Friday. Nepal Police said 1,545 people had been injured and rescued.
Quick answers to key questions
What triggered the recent flash flood warnings in Nepal?⌵
The flash flood warnings in Nepal were triggered by a magnitude 5.1 earthquake in China’s Sichuan province, leading to concerns about rising water levels in the Trishuli River.
Why did Nepal decline foreign rescue teams after the flash floods?⌵
Nepal declined foreign rescue teams due to coordination issues experienced during the 2015 earthquake, opting instead to rely on its own security agencies.
How is Nepal preparing for potential further flooding after the recent disaster?⌵
Nepal has issued alerts for residents to remain vigilant and evacuate to safer areas as there is a possibility of additional flooding, especially following reports of a dam burst in Tibet.
Should residents near the Trishuli area take immediate action in light of the flood risks?⌵
Yes, residents near the Trishuli area are advised to remain alert and evacuate to safe locations following warnings from Nepal Police about rising river levels.
What consequences have occurred since the flash floods in Nepal?⌵
The flash floods in Nepal have resulted in at least 469 confirmed deaths and over 1,000 people reported missing, with significant destruction to infrastructure and villages.
What caused Nepal flash flood?
According to the agency, the tremors initially reported as an earthquake “was instead a glacial collapse and debris flow” that “caused subsequent catastrophic impacts downstream”. Over 165 have been reported dead and nearly 1000 missing in the torrents of water and debris that crashed downstream on either side of the Nepal-Tibet border, AFP reported.
What preliminary findings suggested
This revelation about the cause dismisses initial reports that suggested the earthquake likely triggered a landslide. Even Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal had suggested the same. Meanwhile, other theories blamed a glacial lake flood, suggesting that water gushed downstream after the collapse of a fragile debris wall holding back meltwater, triggering an ice avalanche-like situation.
Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), in its findings, found “no anomalies” from the Chinese side of the border. “We believe a rock-ice avalanche occurred in Nepal, blocking the Lhende river and causing the cascading flood event,” AFP quoted Sarthak Shrestha, ICIMOD remote sensing and geo information analyst.
University of Texas San Antonio hydrologist Hatim Sharif said, “That defeats essentially every operational flood warning system in the world,” as rainfall is typically considered a precursor to such a tragedy.
India steps in with over 10 tonnes of humanitarian aid
India on Wednesday night stepped up its humanitarian response, sending the first tranche of over 10 tonnes of aid as the Himalayan nation reels from devastating flash floods. Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said that India is closely coordinating with the Government of Nepal to locate and rescue missing Indian nationals.
MoS Singh said, “We are receiving reports of sudden river flooding in Nepal; many lives have been lost, and numerous people are missing. Among the missing are approximately 130 to 133 individuals from India with whom contact has been lost. Our national relief teams are on the ground, actively engaged in search and rescue operations. We are making every possible effort, in collaboration with the Government of Nepal, to locate as many people as possible, bring them to safety, and rescue them from danger,” ANI reported.
