- A drone photographer in Nepal unwittingly captured the horrific mudslide caused by a glacial collapse high in the Himalayas.
- The video was posted to the Chinese social media platform RedNote, showing stunning Himalayan peaks with the photographer in view.
- About 10 seconds in, small plumes of ice and rock can be seen cascading above the clouds; it looks a bit like big waves crashing into a pier.
- The pilot was south of Langtang Lirung, a 24,000 feet (7,000 meters) peak where the glacier collapsed.
- The photographer, Hei Mu, said: "I never imagined those loud noises behind me could be an ice avalanche and mudslide, nor did I expect such a huge impact."
- Hei Mu added: "I was too focused on aerial filming. If we had heard the sounds, we would have immediately called the police."
- BBC Verify confirmed that Mu's footage matches the direction of the flood water that surged down the Trishuli River.
- The bedrock of the mountain itself crumbled, which took the glacial ice above it sliding 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) below, bringing down 500 million tons of rock and ice on Langtang's north face.
- The death toll in Nepal and China has surpassed 950, with more than 4,400 people still missing.
- At least 900 workers are reportedly trapped in 12 hydropower projects damaged by the flash floods on the Nepalese side, with 500 of them trapped in tunnels.
- Geoscientist Jakob Steiner from the University of Graz in Austria, based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, told AP: "These tunnels are big enough to drive trucks through... It's a race for time, though, as people need food and water."
A drone photographer in Nepal captured a devastating mudslide caused by a glacial collapse near Langtang Lirung, a peak rising 24,000 feet (7,000 meters). The incident has resulted in a death toll exceeding 950, with 4,400 individuals still missing.141011
The photographer, Hei Mu, stated, “I never imagined those loud noises behind me could be an ice avalanche and mudslide, nor did I expect such a huge impact,” emphasizing his focus on filming rather than the sounds of disaster. His footage, shared on the Chinese platform RedNote, shows the initial moments of the collapse, with small plumes of ice and rock cascading down the mountain.25
The glacial collapse released 500 million tons of rock and ice, sending debris sliding 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) down the north face of Langtang. The aftermath has left 900 workers trapped in 12 hydropower projects, with 500 of them stuck in tunnels large enough for trucks. Jakob Steiner, a geoscientist, noted, “They have managed to get oxygen to some of those stuck inside and are trying to rescue them now. It’s a race for time, though, as people need food and water.”8912131415
As rescue efforts continue, the situation remains dire, with the region grappling with the aftermath of this natural disaster.
“The collapse sent 500 million tons of rock and ice down Langtang's north face, and BBC Verify confirmed the footage matches the flood water's path down the Trishuli River. At least 900 workers are trapped in 12 damaged hydropower projects, with 500 stuck in tunnels, as rescuers race against time.”
