China has suspended rescue efforts at the scene of a catastrophic mudslide on the Tibet-Nepal border after a lake formed by the disaster began overflowing, threatening to send a new torrent of debris downstream. The suspension, announced on Friday, is a blow to rescue efforts at the Gyirong border crossing and downstream in Nepal as workers race against time to rescue survivors. Chinese and Nepali authorities have said that up to 482 people have been killed and more than 1,500 are still missing after a giant flash flood on Wednesday tore through settlements in the border area, wiping out multistorey buildings in its path. A lake was formed by the landslide more than 10km upstream and 1,000 metres above the Gyirong Port crossing, according to a Chinese state television CCTV report near the scene.

Full report : Emergency services race to save survivors after catastrophic landslide in Nepal.