Satellite imagery reveals scale of Nepal glacier-collapse flood
A flash flood and debris avalanche struck the Nepal–China border region on 26 August 2026, triggered by a glacier collapse on Langtang Lirung that generated energy equivalent to a 5.2 magnitude earthquake. The torrent traveled nearly 100 km downstream through towns and valleys, leaving hundreds dead and thousands missing. The ESA reports that Copernicus Sentinel-2 and US Landsat-9 satellite imagery, processed using natural colour and shortwave-infrared channels, revealed the dramatic increase in river water and flooding extent.
