Vladikavkaz, Russia
A giant chunk of glacier broke off a mountain peak 495 feet high this week and hurtled down a scenic gorge teeming with hikers and tourists. As many as 150 people may have been killed in the avalanche, say emergency workers. At least eight bodies have been found. The sliding glacier reached 62 mph, accumulating rocks, mud, and uprooted trees as it went. “It sounded like a train was coming, but there are no trains here,” said Dmitry Podalyakin, 18, who fled a cafe in the avalanche’s path. Among the missing are Russian movie star Serge Bodrov and 49 people from a film crew who were working at the base of the glacier.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Selfies ban in art galleries: a sign of the times?Talking Point Priceless art has been damaged by visitors desperate to take a snap with star attractions, leading some galleries and museums to start fighting back
-
Quiz of The Week: 21 – 27 JuneHave you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
The Week Unwrapped: How do you turn plastics into paracetamol?Podcast Plus, what is the Wagner Group doing now? And why is it so hard to find a job after university?
