Behind Nepal’s Apocalyptic Floods: Glacial Collapse and a 4.4-Magnitude Quake

Adriana Stone 0 1 min read

Behind Nepal’s Apocalyptic Floods: Glacial Collapse and a 4.4-Magnitude Quake

The cause of Nepal’s historic floods is now becoming clear. A massive high-altitude glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border unleashed a deadly chain of events, according to findings from the U.S. Geological Survey reported by the BBC.

The collapse occurred in a mountainous area and triggered seismic activity. The resulting water surge caused catastrophic destruction downstream along the Trishuli River. Floodwaters also spread across several regions of Nepal, turning a natural disaster into a wide-scale emergency.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported recording a 4.4-magnitude earthquake around the same time security footage was taken near the Nepal-Tibet border. The timing adds another alarming detail to the disaster, which sent an enormous wall of water racing down from the mountains.

CNN has also reported that major sections of Himalayan ice are melting. At the same time, rocky mountain slopes are becoming less stable and more fluid. Those conditions have left Nepal increasingly vulnerable to sudden and destructive events like this one.

Videos shared online showed the flash flood striking with incredible force. One clip appeared to show a massive surge destroying a border-crossing building as terrified people ran for their lives. The water was estimated to reach between 8 and 10 meters high.

Another video showed flooding hitting Jilong Port in Tibet from a different angle. The footage captured the speed and scale of the water as it moved through the area.

At last count, more than 350 people had died in the floods. More than 1,300 others remained missing or unaccounted for across the region. The missing included at least 65 American citizens.

The disaster has prompted a response from Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said America “stands ready to support the Government of Nepal with needed humanitarian assistance.”

Rubio’s message came as rescuers and officials faced the enormous task of accounting for the missing, assisting survivors and assessing damage along the affected river communities.

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