How the glacier triggered a landslide and flooding

The glacier on Langtang Lirung initially broke and dropped about 1,500 meters, triggering a landslide and creating a giant crater lake on the mountain. The landslide continued into the valley, creating a barrier lake and forming a torrent of glacier ice, mud and rocks. It continued to travel along the river, accelerating in speed and momentum as the elevation dropped.

Note: Units on the X and Y axis aren't proportional for purposes of demonstration.

Sources: NASA, CNN analysis

Graphic: Renée Rigdon and Yong Xiong, CNN