A mesmerizing video from China shows a lava-like landslide creeping down a hill to the amazement of onlookers.
The weird footage became somewhat of a viral sensation on Chinese social media when it was posted earlier this month as viewers wondered what could have caused the bizarre event.
Experts who have examined the scene identified it as a type of landslide known as an 'earthflow,' where disturbed sediment rolls downhill in an oozing fashion.
Since earthflows are so slow, they generally do not pose any immediate danger to people who may find themselves in the vicinity of such a phenomenon, but the force of the flow can be destructive to anything that cannot be moved out of the way.
In this particular case, the Chinese family who found themselves in the midst of the odd landslide ended up losing their home and car to the unstoppable flow of dirt.
As to what may have caused the event to occur, scientists say that it was likely due to the melting of permafrost in the region resulting in topsoil being dislodged and forming the earthflow.
Source: National Geographic