Nepal floods: 6 ways to help victims of the glacial collapse that left hundreds dead or missing

This week, one of the worst natural disasters of the year struck at the border between China and Nepal. The event, believed to have been a glacial collapse near Langtang Lirung peak, sent a massive amount of rock, water, and mud cascading down the mountainside, where it struck a river that borders Tibet and Nepal, causing severe flash flooding downstream. Hundreds are known to have died as the wall of mud and water swept south, with well over a thousand people still missing. Search-and-rescue efforts led by China and Nepal began almost immediately, with NGOs also rushing in to help. Here’s what you need to know about the flash floods—and ways you can help support the victims. What caused the floods? The exact cause of the flood is still being determined. Originally, authorities believed that a 4.4 magnitude earthquake may have sent lake and river water surging, causing the flooding. However, as noted by the Associated Press, the U.S. Geological Survey then said the earlier event it detected was instead a 5.2 magnitude glacial collapse. The resulting avalanche of natural debris cascaded down the mountain that the glacier sat on, ultimately striking the Lhende Khola river, which ser…