The earthquake in Nepal triggered a massive avalanche on Mount Everest, killing several climbers. A video showing the moment the massive wall of snow hit the base camp has gone viral and has generated more than seven million views.
German climbing athlete Jost Kobusch happened to be recording while stationed at the base camp on Mount Everest, when the Earth started shaking violently on midday Saturday. In a short caption on YouTube, Kobusch explains what was happening when the avalanche came barreling down the mountain.
“The ground was shaking from the earthquake and as soon as we saw people running we were running ourselves to save our lives.”
Kosbusch took refuge in one of the tents that were being used by climbers and their guides and managed to survive, but the footage shows how truly terrifying the Mount Everest avalanche was. As previously reported by the Inquisitr , American Google executive Dan Fredinburg was among those killed by the avalanche.
The video starts when Jost Kobusch is panning around with his camera and we see all the tents scattered around the base camp. He is heard saying that the “ground is shaking,” indicating this was the moment when the Nepal earthquake was occurring.
Suddenly, behind the overcast skies, climbers hear the noise and realize a giant wall of snow if crashing upon them and all hell breaks loose. The shaky camera continues to roll as people scatter, running for their lives while Kobusch repeatedly yells, “F***.”
In the nick of time, he and another man make it under the tent as the Mount Everest avalanche comes down on the makeshift refuge, which is no match for power of the snow.
One of the men asks, “Are you o.k? Are you alright?” to which the other man replies, “Yeah.”
Both are out of breath as the camera keeps rolling, and we can make out the other man cleaning off Kobusch’s snow-covered attire. After a few minutes, one of them decides to venture outside but is stopped by the other who says, “No, no, no wait!”
When they finally get out, other climbers are seen pulling themselves together amid the utter destruction of the base camp. The aftermath of the avalanche is devastating. Blocks of heavy snow, which have buried everything, are seen all over.
The Nepal earthquake has killed at least 3,800 people , and the numbers are expected to continue to grow. Thousands are still unaccounted for as rescue operations at the avalanche site and on the ground continue.
Coincidentally, the Nepal earthquake occurred a week after the one-year anniversary of a deadly avalanche that hit Mount Everest on April 18, 2014, killing 16 people and injuring nine others.
Warning: The Nepal earthquake avalanche video contains profanity (NSFW).
[Image via Jost Kobusch/Youtube]