Avalanches in the Himalaya are not uncommon, but the one that struck yesterday in the Mustang region was terrifying. And someone in its path managed to record it on video while running for safety.
The avalanche occurred on Tukuche Peak (also known as Manapathi), not far from Dhaulagiri. It blew downslope with so much force that soared over the front ranges to the valleys below, forcing people in nearby villages to flee.
In Kobang village, at least 11 people were injured, not by the avalanche itself, but by falls that they took as they stampeded away, Kabarhub reported. Teachers and kids in a local school rushed from their classrooms as the snow tsunami barreled toward them. Here’s another video of the event.
The avalanche (or more likely, the accompanying shockwave) snapped trees and ripped a number of roofs off in the Thasang area.
Police are now on the scene and have confirmed that no people were in the area swept by the avalanche. However, more than 100 yaks, plus cows and sheep grazing at the foot of the mountain were not so lucky, The Himalayan Times reported. Locals have spotted just a dozen survival yaks through binoculars, while the rest have vanished.
Tukuche peak area and the villages nearby. Google Maps
Luckily, there were no climbers on Tukuche (6,920m), a mountain that commercial outfitters sometimes combine with their Annapurna or Dhaulagiri treks. The exact point where the avalanche started remains unknown, but it hit those regions south of the mountain.
The local media notes that this is an “unseasonal” event and cites higher temperatures and climate change as possible factors.
