A harrowing video has surfaced showing the moment a hiker narrowly escaped death after falling down a steep mountain in China’s Anhui province, CNN reports.
Yang Meng, 42, was hiking in the Fanzengjian mountains on Monday when he slipped on the rain-slicked terrain and plummeted down a slope. He was wearing a 360-degree camera, capturing the terrifying fall in its entirety.
The footage shows Yang skidding uncontrollably down the mountain, with the close-up view revealing the sheer terror of the moment. Thankfully, he was stopped by a sturdy tree, preventing a fatal fall.
“I realized I couldn’t get up at all and was sliding faster and faster,” Yang recounted to CNN, “That’s when it hit me – I must be falling off a cliff.”
The video, shared on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, has gone viral, racking up over 280,000 likes and 445,000 shares. Users have expressed disbelief at Yang’s luck and gratitude for the tree that saved his life.
Despite the terrifying ordeal, Yang was lucky to escape with only minor injuries. He sustained some bruising on his left leg, a scrape on his hand, and a small cut on his thigh.
Reflecting on the incident, Yang said the experience has given him a new perspective on life. “Life is really short, so we need to cherish every day,” he said. “I won’t let this incident hold me back. If anything, it’s pushing me to explore the world even more.”
The incident occurred amidst heavy rain in Anhui province, caused by two powerful typhoons, Bebinca and Yagi, that lashed the region. Bebinca, which made landfall on Monday, was described by Chinese state media as the strongest storm to hit Shanghai since 1949.
