00:00At 8:37 a.m. on August 26, on the border between Nepal and China, an incident occurred
00:05a gigantic landslide, what was initially identified as an earthquake ended
00:11revealing itself as the collapse of a glacier. Seismic instruments recorded waves
00:16which were interpreted as an earthquake, first of magnitude 4.4 and later of 5.2.
00:23The event also appeared to be located at a depth of 0 kilometers, which was already striking.
00:29for a conventional earthquake. However, a subsequent analysis by the Geological Survey
00:34The United States showed that a rupture of the Earth's crust had not actually occurred.
00:39The seismic waves detected at the stations had been generated by another phenomenon,
00:44the collapse of a glacier, followed by a huge flow of debris, that is, a mixture of
00:50solid fragments of rock, soil, sediments and organic remains such as branches and trunks that
00:56It moved across the mountain. Some hypotheses suggest that the water came from the melting snow.
01:01Snow and ice penetrated to the base of the glacier, facilitating the slide. Others
01:07They suggest a possible link to the warming of high mountain areas. The increase in temperatures
01:12can accelerate melting and weaken both glaciers and frozen ground
01:17They support them. However, scientists believe it is still too early to establish
01:22a cause with certainty. What is clear is the magnitude of the tragedy that this unleashed
01:27phenomenon. Nepal faces one of the worst flood emergencies in the
01:32recent years. The death toll has now reached 538, with 937 people still missing after the
01:40Devastating flood in the Bout Koshi River basin. The Chituan district is the hardest hit.
01:46of victims, with 221 deaths. Meanwhile, in Nahualparaz and Este, other bodies have been recovered
01:52134 bodies. But there is a second tragedy. 393 corpses have still not been identified.
02:00Families are searching hospitals and morgues for photographs of their loved ones. And the emergency
02:05It's not over. More than 15,000 personnel are working on search and rescue efforts, but they face
02:11Destroyed roads and bridges, landslides, and communication failures. The emergency
02:17It also hit Tibet, in China, where 5 deaths and 558 missing persons have already been reported.
02:23For the time being, authorities remain on alert for the possibility of further flooding.
02:28sudden changes, which could further complicate operations. Now, the big challenge
02:33For Nepal, it means finding the missing, identifying the victims, and ensuring aid.
02:38for the communities that were left isolated. And while rescue efforts continue,
02:43Attention is focused not only on the risk of further flooding, but also on determining
02:48More precisely, what caused the glacier collapse that triggered this devastating event?
02:53emergency.
