Ignorance of traditional practices under the lure of economic opportunities, comfort, and convenience have aggravated the menace of landslides in the Himalayan region. The Himalayan region has always been prone to a number of hazards that are generally owed to its unique tectonic and geomorphic setup as also evolutionary history, and meteorological conditions. Stabilisation of […]
Hydromet hazards
June 2013: The Kedarnath saga
Kedarnath or Shree Kedarnath as it is reverentially addressed by the locals, is amongst the four Hindu sacred shrines located in Higher Himalayan region of Uttarakhand; others being Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. Not that this region has only Hindu shrines; there is Hemkund Sahib that is revered by Sikhs. Then the region also houses the […]
Lessons from June 2013 disaster of Uttarakhand
Small or big every incidence has some lessons in store for us, and intelligent are those who don’t wait to learn from incidences, and instead learn from the experiences gained by others. The lessons alone are however of little use unless these are acted upon. Hope some find their share of action points in the […]
Reminiscence: June 2013 disaster of Uttarakhand
Exactly 8 years have passed, and all that transpired is still fresh, even bit-by-bit; the impact, the devastation, as also the lull that followed. Except for sudden short-lived disturbances weather is generally fair around the middle of June but on Friday June 14, 2013 it was raining from the previous day, and the downpour was […]
Bravehearts of June 2013 Uttarakhand disaster
Media is exceptionally fast at correlating causes, and speculating effects. In the last week of May, 2021 it was sighting of some cracks in the upper reaches of Rishiganga river valley that was correlated the avalanche incidence of February 7, 2021 that caused devastation in the downstream areas, and presently it is the early arrival […]
Marching ahead from Sumna
With the bodies of all the 18 persons missing in the avalanche incidence of April 23, 2021 around Sumna in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand having been recovered, dispatched back home to Jharkhand, and laid to rest, the search operation has come to an end. Amid increasing tendency of labelling every incidence as being man-made the debate on […]
Avalanche in Chamoli district kills 18
Almost after 75 days of the devastating Rishiganga–Dhauliganga flash flood tragedy of February 7, 2021 that killed 204 persons and devastated two hydropower projects, including one of 520 MW capacity at Tapoban, the region was once again in the headlines due to yet another disaster. It was an avalanche yet again, however in the previous […]
Lessons from winter season flash flood of Uttarakhand
This is not the first time when the authorities have been caught unaware but then, they had little or no clue of the Dhauliganga flood of February 7, 2021 in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand that killed 204 persons, and devastated two hydropower projects of 13.2 and 520 MW capacity at Rini, on Rishiganga river, and Tapoban, on […]
Demystifying 2021 Uttarakhand Flood
Detailed fieldwork in the catchment of Dhauliganga and Rishiganga rivers after 2021 Uttarakhand flood revealed multiple intermittent damming along the river course to be responsible for accumulating enough water to cause devastating floods that killed 204 persons, and devastated two hydropower projects of 13.2, and 520 MW capacity at Rini and Tapovan respectively.
Winter season flood in the Himalayas
Winter season flood in not a common occurrence in Himalaya. During the winter season higher reaches of Himalaya are under thick cover of snow, and melting of glaciers is insignificant. Winter season is thus a lean flow period for Himalayan rivers. No one was thus had scant idea of this winter season flood in Himalaya. […]