संता – भाई रोज सुनते रहते हैं, आखिर यह भू-स्खलन होता क्या हैं ? बंता – Land यानी आम भाषा में कहे तो चट्टान, पत्थर, मिट्टी व मलबा। यह सब जब Slide करे या ढाल पर नीचे आये, तो उसे हम Landslide या भू- स्खलन कहते हैं। संता – वो तो ठीक है, परन्तु यह मलबा नीचे […]
Hydromet hazards
Avalanches around Kedarnath
In September 2022 avalanche activity was observed repeatedly in the mountains to the north of Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. Presence of pilgrims and others in large numbers facilitated pictographic and video records of these, and stories projecting these as posing a major hazard to the township and pilgrims became viral on social media. A […]
Skewed mitigation and increasing flood risk
Despite the situation being continuously exacerbated by climate change and unplanned urbanisation, most vulnerable of the 1.81 billion flood affected persons fail to get prioritised under risk reduction programs due to skewed selection criteria. The study Flood exposure and poverty in 188 countries – an article published recently in Nature Communications by Jun Rentschler, […]
Committee recommends monitoring of slopes around Joshimath
Observation pillars were erected on the identified vulnerable slopes around the Naini lake after devastating Sher-ka-Danda landslide of 1880 and these were monitored using theodolite till 1997 to assess the threat posed to the lake city and undertake mitigation measures, besides sounding a warning when required. Monitoring unstable slopes But then Joshimath in Chamoli district […]
Janmashtami cloudburst around Dehradun
The article posted a week ago, focused on failing risk perception of the people of the region – various factors were put forth therein as inducing these people to knowingly take risk. But then, these people routinely struggle to make the ends meet, and are for that matter left with little options to choose from. […]
Failing risk perception instincts
Doesn’t repeated flood-induced losses in the hills indicate our failing risk perception and avoidance instincts? If so, we have to dig deep to set the things right. Risk Risk refers to expected or anticipated losses to a given element at risk from an identified hazard over a specific time period. It is important to note that the […]
Geologists for sustainable development
Buildings can certainly be constructed in the hills without slope modification utilising natural gradient of the slope, and thereby curtailing the cost of site development as also managing the menace of debris disposal besides making the end product aesthetically pleasing and utilitarian. Roads in mountainous terrain Roads cannot however be constructed without preparing a continuous flat […]
ATIL plaguing Uttarakhand
Yes, agricultural terrace induced landslide is what is meant by ATIL and you have heard it right. Idea might sound insane but then, backed by experience, common sense, insight and intuition, it shouldn’t be way far off the bullseye. Having witnessed ATIL caused devastation way back in 1998, it was hard to believe then that […]
Neglected terraces & enhanced landslide risk
Might sound bizarre, but you are soon to realize the logic as also the seriousness of the issue and if not addressed effectively it is to pose a major threat for the hilly terrain of Uttarakhand. Terracing: Agriculture + Terracing is one of the techniques often utilized even today for treating the landslide. It reduces […]
Early warning for Dhauliganga-like disasters
Scientific research, howsoever promising, requires gestation time for practical application and the same stands true for avalanche warning in Himalayas. The journalists are therefore advised to report scientific research outputs with caution.