CCTV said water levels at the lake were expected to rise over the next three days because of continued rainfall, peaking around September 1.

This increases “the risk of a breach that could send floodwaters downstream and potentially cause further damage in areas including Gyirong Port and elsewhere downstream”, state news agency Xinhua reported late on Thursday.

Emergency engineering teams were closely monitoring the situation, said CCTV.

CCTV said that 499 Chinese nationals and 555 foreigners had been transported out of the disaster zone as of Friday.

Rescue workers are using drone-based 3D modelling and thermal imaging detection, as well as manual searches, to locate those still missing, said CCTV.

Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting of top leaders about rescue operations on Friday.

“There are still many hidden dangers of glaciers, ice lakes and geological disasters in the surrounding area, and rescue is facing great difficulties,” Xinhua reported the leaders as saying. – AFP