We have all seen the videos of the extreme devastation in Nepal across our feeds, with people struggling to stand as the ground shakes, of trucks upon trucks being swept away by the force of a flood, of houses being swept away and buildings literally collapsing and being reduced to matchsticks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
According to a report, it seems to have happened high in the Himalayan mountain range, when a glacier at the height of 5200 meters collapsed and plunged 1200 meters into the Lhende River, north east of the shared border with China. The debris rushed down the river and temporarily blocked the natural dam until the force of the debris caused the natural dam to give way, releasing all that debris in a powerful flood down the river.
Early reports assumed that a 4.4 magnitude earthquake triggered the collapse of the glacier, but later it was revised, the assessment saying that the report of the earthquake was in fact the seismic signal of the landslide, registered at a 5.2 magnitude.
AREAS AFFECTED
The calamity happened in the mountains on Nepal’s border with Tibet, although some of the worst damage happened near Nepal’s border with China, according to reports.
Official accounts also state that the mud and debris hit across the border in Tibet, and India is also reported to have evacuated in areas sharing the border with Nepal.
PEOPLE MISSING, INJURED AND KILLED
Official reports state Nepal buried hundreds of bodies on Monday, retrieved from rescue operations.
This calamity has been said to have killed at least 900 people, but numbers are feared to rise drastically, as 4247 people are still missing, according to sources.
A 100 people were temporarily buried on Saturday, as forensics were struggling to collect DNA samples to match those of missing persons.
CHINA ACCUSED OF HIDING DATA PREDICTING DISTASTER
In other news read more about Nepal Flood Death Toll Rises As Thousands Remain Missing
There are reports of many controversies surrounding China being accused of hiding geological data from Nepal, recorded before the disasters. However, these theories are unconfirmed.
