China on Thursday rejected Nepal's claim that the collapse of a "geological disaster dam" on the Chinese side was responsible for the massive destruction in Nepal, dismissing the allegation as "fake news".

The Chinese embassy in Nepal also denied claims that Beijing failed to alert Nepal about the impending disaster, saying the alleged lack of an early warning did not contribute to the deaths and disappearances.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the embassy said an earthquake or an earthquake-like glacier collapse occurred on the Nepali side on the morning of August 26. According to China, the incident triggered massive mudslides that caused heavy casualties and left people missing on both sides of the Gyirong-Rasuwagadhi border area.

The embassy said, "Accusation helps nothing" and "cooperation saves lives." The remarks came as the Himalayan disaster continued to take a heavy toll, with at least 175 people killed and more than 1,300 reported missing following a powerful surge of debris comprising water, sediment, rocks and ice.

The sudden flooding caused widespread destruction, washing away villages and damaging or completely destroying roads and buildings.