Mesmerising View of Controlled Avalanche Captured From Above

A controlled avalanche was carried out on Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand, on August 15. Video shot from a helicopter shows the the avalanche slowing as it picks up wetter snow. General Manager for Safety and Environment at Mount Ruapehu, Andy Hoyle, said, “Each storm leaves its mark in the stratigraphy of the snowpack. Layers build upon layers, a kind of temporary record of time. Oldest at the bottom, youngest on top. Occasionally, some layers are weaker than others and can fail when the load of the layers above gets too heavy". Hoyle said “We know that if we left these avalanche hazards uncontrolled, they could occur naturally in the right conditions, threatening personnel and infrastructure". Credit: mtruapehu.com via Storyful