After a series of earthquakes in the recent past in western Nepal and Pithoragarh, the earthquake early warning (EEW) system operated by USDMA in Uttarakhand has been the focus of most seismic safety related debates. Obsessed with the glitter and fancy of early warning most disaster risk reduction (DRR) enthusiasts often tend to consider it the ultimate […]
Uttarakhand
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 […]
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 […]
Traffic woes of Dehradun
Not going into the environmental implication of obliterating the canals, as also accompanying depleted storm water drainage capacity and increased occurrences of waterlogging, the endeavour resulted in wider roads – width of most roads in Dehradun city having been more than doubled since the creation of the state. Together with this a number of flyovers […]
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 […]
You can’t relax in a hurry
Be it tourism or pilgrimage – time, energy, money and resources spent on it are not really justified if one is unable to relax and enjoy, and gets back home traumatised, drained out and tired. Weekend pilgrimage Weekend tourism has been trending, but then the concept seems getting extended to pilgrimage as well. So, […]
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 […]
पलायन, खेती-बाड़ी और आपदा
हो सकता हैं और बहुत मुमकिन है कि अभी आपको यह सब किसी सिरफिरे का फितूर लग रहा हो पर सच मानिये और विश्वास करिये – यह विषय अत्यन्त गम्भीर होने के साथ ही पहाड़ में रह रहे लोगो के भविष्य से जुड़ा है। हमारे सीढ़ीदार खेत भू-स्खलन से प्रभावित पहाड़ी ढाल को सीढ़ीदार स्वरुप […]
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.