Written by Michael Thervil

[CHINA NEPAL MUDSLIDE FLOODING] With an estimated 600 people killed and roughly another 2,500 more declared missing, there seems to be a race against time for rescuers to locate and render aid to the thousands of people from Nepal and China who have found themselves trapped by both mudslides and flooding which started on Wednesday and still continues to rage on. The lake which overflowed stemmed from a collapsed glacier near the Himalayan Mountains. Along with researchers and volunteers, the Nepali military were deployed to aid in the additional rescue of another 100 victims that are still currently trapped within a tunnel at a local hydropower plant; a plant that is located in one of the most hard-hit areas.

With 3,700 victims rescued so far, the Nepali disaster-management authority stated that 579 victims from Nepal have been killed of the 600 plus total victims of this catastrophic flooding event. The Chinese Press reported that 558 Chinese nationals have also been declared missing from their side. Both victims and eyewitnesses stated that they felt as if they were hit by a Tsunami. Meteorologists and climate specialists are increasingly taking the position that monsoon storms are also playing a role in increased levels of danger and flooding in the region. It is currently predicted that there will be more monsoon storms that will form as the monsoon season progresses.

With the bedrock collapsing underneath the glacier combined with early onset and prolong monsoon rain season, in conjunction with ever rising global temperatures, it seems that all of these elements played a central role in what the victims of this catastrophic event are facing.