China says high-altitude glacier collapse may have triggered Nepal flash floods

China said on Friday that the collapse of a high-altitude glacier in Nepal may have triggered the flash floods that hit the Tibet-Nepal border, killing 469 people in Nepal and three in Tibet, according to the latest figures cited by Chinese officials.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing and Kathmandu had reached similar preliminary assessments of the cause of the disaster.

“We noted that experts and official institutions of China and Nepal have made preliminary assessments on the cause of the disaster,” Lin told a media briefing. “According to their analysis, the disaster may have been triggered by the collapse of a high-altitude glacier in Nepal,” he said.

China’s assessment matches findings cited by Nepalese authorities and a revised analysis by the US Geological Survey on Thursday, which identified a glacial collapse and subsequent debris flow as the trigger.

According to the assessment, an ice-rock avalanche struck the Lhende River, temporarily blocking its flow before the natural barrier gave way, sending a surge downstream into the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems.

Asked about missing and stranded Indian tourists and pilgrims visiting Tibet, Lin said, “The details are being verified. We have already notified relevant countries’ embassies and we will maintain communication with them.”

Chinese officials said more than 1,000 people, including 555 tourists, had been evacuated from Gyirong County near the Tibet-Nepal border. The state-run Global Times reported that no tourists remained stranded in the area.

President Xi Jinping also sent a message of condolence to Nepalese President Ram Chandra Poudel over the disaster.

At a meeting of the ruling Communist Party of China chaired by Xi, officials said the disaster occurred in a severely cold plateau region with steep valleys, variable weather, numerous glaciers and glacial lakes, and potential geological hazards, posing significant challenges to emergency rescue operations.

The meeting said all relevant authorities and departments must take resolute and effective measures for rescue operations.

It also called for search and rescue plans to be prepared scientifically and for every effort to be made to locate all missing Chinese and foreign nationals.

China will provide emergency aid to the disaster-hit areas in Nepal and carry out international rescue cooperation as both countries continue efforts to respond to the flood damage and trace those still missing.