Flood Warnings Issued at Night... Death and Missing Toll Exceeds 3,000

[Anchor]

Additional flood warnings were issued overnight in the border areas between Nepal and China, which have been struck by catastrophic floods and landslides. Amid concerns that natural dams formed by the massive floods could further collapse, the death toll is approaching 600, with nearly 2,500 people missing.

Reporter Kim Minpyo has the details.

[Reporter]

Nepalese authorities issued another flood warning and urged residents to evacuate on the night of the 28th, local time, reporting that water levels in the Bhotekoshi River upstream of the disaster-hit area were rising again.

This came just hours after emergency evacuation orders were issued due to the overflowing of a natural dam, or barrier lake, formed by accumulated glaciers and sediment, triggering yet another crisis alert.

Rescue operations have been temporarily suspended each time additional warnings are issued.

[Chinese Rescue Worker: We cleared roads blocked by landslides and planned rescue operations, but they are currently suspended due to the possibility of further collapses of the barrier lake.]

The combined death toll tallied by China and Nepal has risen to 586.

The number of missing persons is approaching 2,500.

Hospitals and morgues are crowded with people searching for missing family members with whom they have lost contact.

[Sushila Gurung / Relative of Missing Person: I try calling my son, but the phone won't connect. I still haven't found him...]

Rescue operations inside a hydropower plant tunnel, where the Nepalese military has been deployed, are facing severe difficulties due to thick layers of mud covering the site.

It is estimated that around 100 people remain trapped inside the tunnel.

As overland access to the site remains difficult, operations to airlift stranded residents to safe locations using helicopters are ongoing.

Chinese authorities stated they are conducting multi-dimensional operations, including water access using rubber boats, searches in mountainous terrain, and aerial reconnaissance.

In particular, they have set up observation posts to monitor the natural dams in real-time in preparation for potential additional floods.

[Video Editing: Choi Hye-young]
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.