China warns barrier lake continues to pose flood risk

China’s Ministry of Water Resources issued a formal warning on 28 August that Barrier Lake, located in the high‑altitude basin of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in the Tibet Autonomous Region, continues to pose a significant flood risk to downstream communities. The warning follows a steady rise in the lake’s water level, driven by accelerated glacial melt and recent heavy monsoon rainfall. Officials noted that the lake’s natural dam—comprised of moraine and sediment—has reached a critical threshold, raising concerns that a sudden breach could trigger catastrophic flooding along the river’s lower reaches.

In response, authorities have intensified monitoring by deploying additional remote‑sensing equipment and ground‑based gauges to track water volume and pressure on the dam structure. Emergency response plans have been activated in the adjacent counties, with evacuation routes and temporary shelters identified for at-risk villages. The Ministry also urged local governments to review and reinforce existing flood defenses and to coordinate with provincial disaster‑management agencies to ensure a rapid, coordinated response should a breach occur.