The natural dam upstream

From Onlinekhabar English

The natural dam upstream. (Photo courtesy: China Daily) Kathmandu, August 29 The immediate risk of a lake burst from a water body formed after an ice-rock avalanche in Rasuwa has decreased, according to technical experts. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said the possibility of the lake suddenly bursting has reduced after water began flowing out naturally. Experts have also warned that rumours of an imminent lake burst have affected ongoing search and rescue operations in downstream areas. Binod Parajuli, chief of the Flood Forecasting Division at the department, said the risk of a sudden breach has declined as the newly formed lake has already started overflowing. “Normally, unstable lakes burst soon after filling up. This lake has filled and started releasing water, and more than 24 hours have passed without a breach,” Parajuli said. “Once water begins flowing out, the possibility of the lake bursting decreases.” Geologist Shri Kamal Dwivedi, who works at the Secretariat of the Water and Energy Commission, said the water body formed in a depression created after an ice-rock fall should not necessarily be considered a lake at risk of bursting.