Latest news with #HighMountain
Indian Express
07-08-2025
- Indian Express
What caused the Uttarkashi flash floods? Some theories
While the exact cause of the flash floods in Uttarakhand's Dharali remains unclear, experts and glaciologists have proposed various hypotheses to explain the massive mudslide that ravaged the area. The affected area in Dharali is located on an alluvial fan, a geological feature formed by debris from past flood events. Specifically, earlier floods at the confluence of the Kheer Ganga stream and the Bhagirathi River led to sediment deposition at the river mouth, shaping this fan. Although the village is situated around 200 metres away from the river, increasing commercialisation in recent years has led to the development of several establishments directly on the alluvial fan, experts say, pointing to the growth of tourism-related activities and the construction of the Dharasu-Gangotri highway through the village. A glaciologist said that a landslide had struck 2 kilometres uphill from Dharali earlier, which might have been reactivated. In a paper by Bhambri R et al, High Mountain Hazards in Uttarakhand, covering hazards, including glacier lake outburst floods, rainfall-induced landslides, and flash floods, and their influence on downstream areas in Uttarakhand, the authors identified 2,772 landslides over an area of 15.9 sq km. Following the June 2013 rainfall in the Bhagirathi Basin, 1,434 new landslides and 533 existing landslides were activated. The locations closest to the Bhatwari, Pilang, Dharali, and Tehri dam sites observed the most landslides. New ones covered 32% of all landslides, compared to reactivated landslides, which accounted for 39% of all, the paper says. With the help of satellite imagery and terrain analysis, the glaciologist said that further above this slope, around 7 km above Dharali, there are two glaciers with huge crevasses, which cause expedited melting. 'They are also avalanche-feeded glaciers. Below these are seven small lakes. These glaciers could have breached, went downstream, broke out as the temperature is higher and the water is moving downwards, bringing with it sedimentary deposits and moraines, rock and debris transported from the glaciers. From what we gather from videos, debris per cent is higher in the flow that struck, and debris erosion has destructive potential,' he said. While IMD data shows moderate rainfall, the scientist said that the orographic barrier must have played a part in decreased precipitation in areas in lower elevation. 'Some heights block moisture. Due to the height of a particular peak, which is around 5,700 metres above sea level, it did not let this cloud pass it, resulting in the accumulation of moisture. Due to increased condensation of the cloud as well as a rise in temperature, the cloud precipitated in the form of rainfall and not snow. Kheer Ganga, Harsil, and Sukhi top could have flooded because of this phenomenon,' he said, adding that this rules out glacier breach as that could have flooded just Kheer Ganga, without causing floods in Harsil and Sukhi top. These three tributaries joining Bhagirathi river downstream have different catchments. 'Orographic barrier and condensation led to lower elevation receiving less rainfall in comparison to the upper areas,' he said. Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read More
Times of Oman
19-05-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Sayyid Bilarb graces opening of Oman Real Estate Conference, and Design & Construction Week
Muscat: HH Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said graces today the opening of the 20th edition of the Oman Real Estate Conference, Exhibition, and Design & Construction Week at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center. The event witnessed broad participation from major local and international real estate investors and developers, along with a number of experts and consultants in urban development, real estate, and construction. During the inauguration, HH Sayyid Bilarab launched the "A'Thuraya" smart urban city project in the Wilayat of Bausher and the High Mountain project in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar as a global mountain destination. A'Thuraya represents a futuristic model for sustainable living and urban integration, spanning three development phases. The first phase covers an area exceeding 3 million square meters, aiming to accommodate over 8,000 residents through 2,600 housing units across eight integrated residential neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the High Mountain project, designed along a 5.4-kilometre mountain ridge spanning 11.8 square kilometers, will host around 10,000 residents with innovative and diverse housing units across three main villages. The ceremony also saw the signing of nine partnership and development agreements with a total investment value exceeding RO 2.3 billion. These agreements include high-quality developmental projects in Sultan Haitham City and A'Thuraya City, further enhancing Oman's urban growth map and opening new investment horizons in the real estate sector. Among the signed agreements were two investment and development partnerships worth over RO 1.7 billion, covering an area exceeding 4.8 million square meters. These include the development of Neighborhoods 7, 8, 9, 11, 12A, and 12B in Sultan Haitham City, spanning over 2.6 million square meters. The projects will feature diverse residential units, including villas, apartments, and mixed-use buildings, alongside integrated facilities such as mosques, parks, and green spaces, as well as a social and sports club. A second agreement involves the development of a coastal area in the Wilayat of A'Seeb for a premium tourism project spanning over 2.2 million square meters, featuring a tourist hotel, residential zones with connected units, and a marina. Additionally, a key terms agreement was signed for the development of Neighborhoods 6C and 6D in Sultan Haitham City, with an investment exceeding OMR150 million. Another partnership worth over OMR240 million was signed to develop Neighborhood 6, a key area in the first phase of A'Thuraya City, covering 285,000 square meters and comprising 1,000 residential units. For the High Mountain project, a key terms agreement was signed to develop the health neighborhood in the Western Village, with an investment of OMR200 million across 630,000 square meters, featuring 500 residential and hotel units with a built-up area exceeding 100,000 square meters. A tender worth over OMR6 million was awarded for site preparation and leveling works in Sultan Haitham City (Package 1A), marking a pivotal step in establishing the city's infrastructure and enhancing connectivity between its neighborhoods and vital facilities. A partnership agreement worth OMR45 million will be signed to develop the first 4-star hotel façade in Sultan Haitham City at Januaries Residences, featuring 170 hotel rooms, 123 hotel apartments, and 96 residential apartments. A usufruct agreement was also signed to establish a precast concrete elements factory in Barka's Halban, with an initial investment of OMR2 million. Tenders worth a total of OMR13 million were awarded for A'Thuraya City, including site preparation works exceeding OMR7 million and engineering consultancy for construction supervision worth over RO 6 million. On the sidelines of the conference, 23 cooperation agreements will be signed to implement infrastructure for the integrated residential neighborhood projects "Sorouh," covering water and sewage networks, electricity distribution, and internet infrastructure across eight projects. Eight new investment opportunities will also be unveiled during the event for developing integrated residential neighborhoods under "Sorouh," spanning South Al Batinah, South A'Sharqiyah, Dhofar, Muscat, and A'Dakhiliyah governorates. These opportunities present a promising gateway for investors looking to contribute to the real estate sector's growth, diversifying housing projects and supporting sustainable economic development. As part of efforts to optimize government land use, 43 usufruct contracts worth over RO 7.3 million will be signed across various sectors, including 11 contracts for food security covering over 881 acres, 11 contracts for SMEs in the industrial sector spanning over 5,600 square meters, and a contract for a specialized sports academy exceeding 26,000 square meters, reflecting diversified investments in key economic and social development sectors. The six-day conference, exhibition, and Design & Construction Week—organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning in collaboration with the Oman Real Estate Association and Connect Company—serves as a strategic platform to showcase real estate projects, highlight investment opportunities, and foster public-private partnerships amid national efforts to enhance the business environment and sustainable urban growth. The accompanying exhibition offers an interactive experience, allowing attendees to explore housing options firsthand, including live residential unit models from Sultan Haitham City, while bringing developers together under one roof. The Oman Real Estate Conference and Exhibition features over 40 speakers across 10 interactive sessions covering urban development, real estate investment, sustainability, and smart urban planning. Discussions will include specialized working papers highlighting Oman's real estate development experience, promising investment opportunities, incentives, and growth drivers, alongside global insights on enhancing market resilience amid economic fluctuations. An investment forum will also be held, gathering elite local and international investors to showcase future city projects and explore real estate opportunities in Oman, aiming to strengthen private-sector partnerships and attract quality investments in urban development.
