Nepal flash floods LIVE: Nepal doesn't need foreign rescue help, Foreign Ministry says as death toll reaches 469 - The Hindu

**Nepal Flash Floods Claim Nearly 500 Lives as Government Declines Foreign Rescue Assistance**

The monsoon‑season deluge that began on 13 May in the Karnali and Mahakali river basins of western Nepal has now killed **469 people**, according to the Nepalese police, and left thousands more homeless. The catastrophe was triggered by an unprecedented cloudburst that caused a sudden surge of water and debris from the steep slopes of the Himalayas, turning the rivers into raging torrents that swept away villages, bridges and farmland. Satellite imagery and on‑the‑ground reports confirm that the flash flood also released large volumes of glacial meltwater from a moraine‑dammed lake near the Nepal‑China border, raising fears of a secondary glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF).

In a statement released on Tuesday, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted that **the country does not require foreign rescue teams** and that all necessary resources are being mobilised domestically. The ministry praised the swift actions of the Nepalese Armed Forces, the National Disaster Risk Management Authority and local volunteers who have been combing the debris‑clogged river channels for survivors. Despite offers of assistance from India, China, the United States and several European nations, Kathmandu’s refusal reflects a desire to maintain operational control and avoid logistical complications that could arise from cross‑border coordination during a rapidly evolving emergency.

China’s response has focused on preventing a repeat of the disaster on its side of the border. Beijing has deployed engineers and military units to **stabilise the glacial lake** that contributed to the surge, reinforcing moraine dams and draining excess water where feasible. Chinese officials have also been in close contact with Nepali authorities, sharing hydrological data and offering technical advice on downstream flood‑risk management. Both governments acknowledge that climate‑induced glacial melt and extreme weather are increasing the frequency of such events, prompting calls for a joint trans‑border early‑warning system and long‑term climate‑adaptation strategies.