Nepal Earthquake Video Shows Moment Mount Everest Avalanche Has Climbers Fleeing For Their Lives

[Warning: video contains strong language]

An incredible video from Nepal has captured the moment a devastating avalanche hit climbers on Mount Everest, after at least 18 died in the massive falls of snow and ice.

The falls of ice, rocks and snow were triggered by the deadly earthquake in Nepal, which is now known to have killed 3,326 people with the death toll still rising.

German climber Jost Kobusch posted the video after surviving a huge avalanche which cut off climbers from the mountain's base camp, which is reported to have been devastated by the initial quake and yesterday's large aftershock.

The climbers begin to run for their lives

The video opens on a snowy scene, with coloured tents and flags visible in the base camp. A voice says: "The ground is shaking" and another in the background adds "The ground opened up..."

Then Kobusch starts swearing, and turns the camera to the left, to see another climber suddenly running towards him, gesturing for others to run for their lives. "Go! Go!" screams Kobusch, and runs with the group until, seconds later, the avalanche hits.

The climbers are covered with a wall of ice and snow, and try to clamber into their tents for protection. After the avalanche stops, a man can be heard breathing deeply.

At the end of the video, fearing that more avalanches may come, they tell each other to "stay together" before running across the devastated landscape.

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Meanwhile a British climber stranded on the mountain following the earthquake-triggered avalanches has said fears the "race against time" for those awaiting rescue.

James Grieve, 52, told the Sun over a satellite phone from Camp One on the world's highest peak that the rescue effort was being hampered by storms and the party's supplies would last only a few more days.

The scene after the avalanche

Nepal's mountaineering department said at least 18 people had been killed and 61 were injured in the avalanche, while an unknown number were still missing.

Mr Grieve, of Kinross, Scotland, told the paper: "Everyone is apprehensive about what's happening and what will happen in the next 24 hours. We have a few days of food and drink left. Our tents have all been lost and we have around 18 dead bodies at base camp.

"Rescue teams are struggling to get us help due to the weather and the next few days' forecasts are not great. There is a lot of confusion in the cap and there are still about 120 of us here waiting to be rescued.

"We are in a race against time to get off the mountain."

He estimated up to 50 people had been killed and said there was a plan for helicopters to rescue them today, although "the choppers are only taking two people off at a time".

Grieve said he believed it could be Wednesday when they would be brought to safety but warned of a forecast metre of snow which could set search teams back.

The paper said he was in a party with fellow British climbers Alex Staniforth, 19, of Chester, expedition leader Daniel Mazur, from Bristol and Sam and Alex Chappatte, from London.

On Twitter yesterday, Mr Staniforth's UK-based support team revealed the difficulty caused by the weather.

They said: "Alex has just texted via sat phone. They will spend another night at C1. Weather has drawn in making it too difficult to fly choppers."

After the 6.7-magnitude aftershock, Mr Mazur tweeted: "Aftershock @ 1pm! Horrible here in camp 1. Avalanches on 3 sides. C1 a tiny island. We worry about icefall team below.. Alive?"

He later said: "Icefall scouts back w/ news: GOOD: route is there. BAD: it sustained damage. V BAD: icefall Sherpas bc gone; ran away to Namche!"