A horrifying video has emerged of the beginning of the devastating floods in Nepal. The video shows a large portion of a glacier collapsing and breaking apart.
Tourists in Tibet captured the initial moments of the glacier collapse and subsequent avalanche on camera. This devastating disaster has claimed 626 lives so far, with more than 2,000 missing.
The terrifying scene began with a thunderstorm.
According to the New York Times, 26-year-old tour guide Jiha Yitiye and his group of hikers were at an observation deck in Tibet, overlooking the beautiful peak and glacier of Tsangbu Ri.
Around 10:50 a.m., as the fog cleared and the tourists took out their cameras, a loud, explosive sound resounded through the mountains.
Jiha said, “It felt as if a massive explosion had occurred inside the mountains.” Immediately, a huge mushroom cloud of smoke and dust filled the sky, and ice and rock fragments from the glacier began falling straight down the slope.
Spread at a speed of 50 meters per second.
According to experts and Chinese media, a huge section of the glacier broke off at a high altitude and fell. As it fell, it carried ice, heavy rocks, soil, and debris, becoming a devastating debris flow.
The video shows an approximately 800-meter-long section of glacier ice and rocks breaking off and falling into the valley below.
According to Chinese expert Guo Zhaocheng, this flood of debris moved at a deadly speed of approximately 50 meters per second, leaving people unable to escape or recover.
Destruction up to 100 kilometres away, threat of new floods
According to the USGS (US Geological Survey), the devastation and flooding were felt up to 100 kilometres away. The debris spread over an area of more than 20 kilometres, reaching directly to China’s Gyirong Port.
When tourists descended the mountain, they discovered road closures and extensive devastation.
A temporary lake has formed due to debris in the site’s upper reaches, increasing the risk of further flooding in the lower areas. Relief and rescue teams are continuously monitoring the situation.
