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, […]
Hydromet hazards
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.
Non-monsoonal landslide in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
Most landslides occur during the monsoon season, but the one around Sari in Rudraprayag district of Uttrakhand occurred during the winter season on February 28, 2022. Despite there being no causalities, occurrence of landslide during the winter season is certainly unusual. After winter season flood in Dhauliganga in February 2021 and post-monsoon rainfall induced landslides in Nainital in October 2021, this incidence highlights the surprises and challenges in store for disaster managers, and they are accordingly required to gear up their preparedness.
7 फरवरी 2021 की वो धौलीगंगा आपदा
Peculiarities of Dhauliganga flood of February 7, 2021 aroused interest of scientific community and much has been written so far on the causes, losses and response. It is however the turn of the DRR managers to act and put in place appropriate techno-legal regime to make the region safe from disasters in future.