As operations continue, the Nepali prime minister's office says "additional" personnel are now on the ground to speed up the search and recovery of bodies following Wednesday's floods.

A 1,200-strong team has been deployed "along the riverbanks from Rasuwa to Chitwan" and "to all possible locations along the affected areas".

As we reported earlier, a large number of the bodies recovered so far has been located in the Chitwan district - where the Trishuli river runs its course.

"Despite the river's strong currents and challenging geographical conditions, the military teams are continuously advancing their efforts to locate and collect bodies," the statement adds.

The search and rescue operations to find survivors of the flood is in a "critical stage", says the Chinese embassy in Nepal.

It says the "landslide-dammed lake" caused by the initial flood is "currently at a high water level and has begun to overflow, posing a risk of further breach".

"The situation is currently at a critical stage for rescue and emergency response in both Nepal and China," it writes on X.

"Relevant authorities in both China and Nepal are continuing to monitor the situation and assess and manage the risks," the embassy adds.

Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) says 538 bodies have now been found as rescue and recovery operations continue.

The agency also updated its missing toll, saying 977 people remain unaccounted for, including 517 foreign nationals.

Earlier, Nepal police said 489 people were confirmed to have died as a result of Wednesday's floods.

Both organisations have been providing separate updates on the rescue operation as it develops.

At least 121 foreign nationals have been rescued following devastating floods in Nepal that have killed more than 480 people, the Nepal Tourism Board has said.

It states those rescued include 85 Indian nationals, 16 who are Chinese and nine South Koreans - while three have not had their nationality established.

Authorities previously reported a list of more than 500 tourists that remained missing.

The tourist board says "all necessary efforts" are under way to "rescue and evacuate injured, stranded and affected people".

Nepal's ministers have agreed to contribute one month's salary to the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund following this week's deadly flooding.

In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers says the decision was taken at a cabinet meeting today.

It adds the cabinet also directed the Ministry of Finance to prepare a rehabilitation package for people and businesses affected by the floods that struck the Nepal-China border area of Rasuwagadhi, the Bhotekoshi River area, and downstream areas.

Image source, PMO Nepal

Nepal's Rasuwa district which has been badly affected by flooding is "physically totally disconnected", according to the country's information minister Bikram Timilsina.

"We have not been able to get there, it will take time for us to assess the scale of the damage," he tells the BBC, with the area located just north of the capital Kathmandu.

"Only by helicopter have we been able to rescue people," he adds.

Dimesh Tamang tells the BBC that 300 people in his hometown in Nepal have been rescued from tunnels following devastating flooding.

He is in the capital Kathmandu and says all he can do is give as much information as possible to rescuers to help find people who are stranded.

"I'm just listing the missing people from my own village," he tells BBC Radio 5 Live, adding there are ongoing efforts to find out exactly how many people are missing.

Tamang's family, who are still in his village close to the floods, have survived but "there's no phone, no electricity, and no road access there", he says.

"That's why I'm trying to use my expertise," he adds, including "which is a suitable place to land and which is a suitable place for after [the] rescue, because there are many people stranded there".

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The situation in Nepal is "chaos", according to Dhruba Gurmachhan of humanitarian aid charity World Vision.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live from Nepal, Gurmachhan says those affected are "desperately waiting" for support.

"Their houses have been swept away... everything gone. It is a very heartbreaking, critical situation here," he says.

However Gurmachhan says he believes "there is hope" that those still missing "could be found alive", as network connectivity issues are preventing communication.

"The government is tirelessly working for finding those lives... and many agencies are working to provide assistance,” he adds.

Image source, Reuters

Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired an emergency meeting with officials to coordinate rescue efforts following Nepal's deadly floods, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

Reports say that officials decided search and rescue efforts must be "scientifically formulated to spare no effort in locating missing persons from both China and abroad".

Xinhua adds the meeting heard that aid "must be provided" to affected areas in Nepal and that "international rescue co-operation must be carried out", with the publication reporting China will "provide emergency aid to the disaster-hit area in Nepal".

China has warned there is a "high risk" that a lake which formed after the recent landslide may breach its banks, causing a second flood downstream.

As of Friday, an estimated 2.5 million cubic metres of water had accumulated at the barrier lake near the Nepal-Tibet border, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

A barrier lake is a body of water formed when debris dams up a river. This barrier lake, which formed at the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers, had started to overflow on Thursday, according to China's Ministry of Water Resources.

Officials say that three million cubic metres of water is expected to flow into the lake between Thursday and the weekend, posing a "high risk of breach".

• You can read more on the barrier lake in our story

Five people have died in Tibet as a result of the flooding on Wednesday, according to Chinese state media.

Reports say 558 people are currently missing in the region.

Nepali police say 489 people have been killed in the flooding that struck the country on Wednesday.

They add bodies have been recovered from the worst-hit districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot, with the majority located in the Chitwan district - which is where the Trishuli river runs its course and flows into the Seti Gandaki river.

Image source, VCG via Getty Images

We're monitoring developments on the Nepal-Tibet border this morning, as concerns remain that a barrier lake which formed after Wednesday's landslide could trigger further floods.

As we wait to hear more, here's a quick recap of the latest updates from the region:

• Rescue operations in Tibet were temporarily suspended as Chinese state media reported that an "overflow has occurred" at the barrier lake - they have since said that overflow has stopped and rescue efforts have resumed

• Chinese state media has also reported that CCTV is being installed to better monitor the state of the lake in the coming hours
• The death toll in Nepal has now reached 475, local police have said, with more than 900 missing
• Officials have issued a list of 537 foreign nationals whose whereabouts remain unknown following the flooding. Among them are 178 Indian nationals, 65 Americans, 53 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 33 Australians and 33 Britons
• Nepal's army says 900 people have been rescued from the worst-hit areas - among them are 119 tourists
• Rescue operations have been hindered by rain and unpredictable weather, an army spokesperson has said before adding: "I haven't seen this kind of disaster in my life"

• In Tibet, three people have been killed and 558 are still missing. Chinese authorities say 555 tourists have been evacuated so far today. It is unclear whether the latest figures overlap

Image source, Reuters

The Nepali government has released the names of hundreds of tourists still missing following flooding that is confirmed to have killed almost 500 people.

It lists the names, dates of birth and nationalities of 537 foreign nationals that have been out of contact since the floods hit on Wednesday.

Included on the list are 178 Indian nationals, 65 Americans, 53 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 33 Australians and 33 from the United Kingdom.

Chinese state media CCTV says rescue operations on the Tibet side are now "continuing as normal" after water levels of the barrier lake "dropped slightly".

In the last few minutes, Chinese state media has issued a fresh update on the state of the barrier lake.

The overflow of water has now stopped, with rescue workers preparing to resume rescue operations.

Chinese officials had halted rescue efforts a little under three hours ago due to concerns of new flooding.

Chinese state media has confirmed that "overflow has occurred today" from a barrier lake that formed following the landslide on Wednesday.

The lake is full, the state broadcaster has been reporting, and water has been trickling out – prompting officials to suspend rescue operations in the area while monitoring continues.

News agency Xinhua also reports CCTV is being installed around the lake to better assess the situation in the coming hours.

Earlier, we reported Nepali police issued a warning stating that a water dam had "breached on the Tibetan side".

Azadeh Moshiri
South Asia correspondent in Trishuli

Warnings are circulating of more flooding to come in northern Nepal, with emergency workers evacuating people to higher ground.

We've just reached an area above the Trishuli river, where people have gathered for safety, waiting for the danger to pass. The manager of the hotel we were staying at is here with us, after the army turned up and told him to evacuate.

In the meantime, helicopters are landing every few minutes at army barracks in Trishuli. They're dropping off survivors, some of whom are injured.

Outside the gates are dozens of people desperately waiting for news of their loved ones, or hoping to see a familiar face arrive.

Groups are also crowding around a few sheets of paper hanging on a wall, listing the names of people who've been found.

Image source, CCTV

In the last hour, CCTV has released the coordinates for the barrier lake that formed after Wednesday's landslide.

The Chinese national broadcaster reports the lake is located approximately 10km (six miles) from Gyirong port and holds over two million cubic metres of water.

Rescue operations in Tibet have been suspended this morning due to concerns the lake could burst, triggering further flooding.

Nepal police have issued an alert stating that a water dam has been "breached on the Tibetan side".

It urges locals, rescuers and security forces to remain alert and move to a safe location.