China issues Level-IV alert after devastating flash floods at Nepal border

China has sounded a Level-IV alert following the devastating flash floods at the Tibet-Nepal border, warning that a newly formed barrier lake at the confluence of two rivers faces a high risk of breaching and flooding downstream areas.

China's Ministry of Water Resources on Thursday night sounded an emergency in the Tibet Autonomous Region, cautioning of a threat posed by the barrier lake, which formed near the confluence of Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers.

These rivers originate in Tibet and flow into Nepal as part of the Bhote Koshi river system.

China's emergency response system for natural disasters has four levels, with Level-I being the highest and Level IV the lowest.

The lake has accumulated an estimated two million cubic metres of water as of Thursday morning, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

According to forecasts, inflows into the lake could reach about three million cubic metres over the next three days amid continued rainfall, increasing the risk of a .