Over 200 dead in Nepal, USGS: Glacier collapse, not tectonic tremor

So far, the devastating floods in Nepal have claimed more than 200 lives and left around 1,300 people missing, while casualties have also been reported in neighboring China.

There was initially confusion about the cause of the tragedy, but the latest data suggest that a glacier collapse in the high mountains may have triggered a massive landslide, followed by a violent surge in which water mixed with mud and rocks.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the event was initially identified as a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, but subsequent studies of seismic waves revealed that the released energy came from a landslide, not tectonic activity. More than 300 travelers are among the missing, including citizens of Germany, the United States and Spain.

The Yonhap news agency reported, citing South Korea’s Foreign Ministry in Seoul, that several South Korean workers are also among the missing. They had been employed at a hydroelectric power plant in the area. Officials said the disaster had wiped out entire communities and damaged roads, bridges and power facilities.

Several major routes and highways have been completely blocked. Footage quickly spread online showing powerful torrents sweeping away entire homes and buildings covered in mud. Experts emphasize that the Himalayan region, of which Nepal is a part, is warming at a faster rate than the global average. As a result, rainfall has become more intense and glacier melt is accelerating significantly.