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Time of India
2 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Monsoon mayhem in U'khand: 65 dead in rain-related incidents in June, double last year's toll
Dehradun: At least 65 people died in June, the first month of this year's monsoon season in Uttarakhand, double the 32 deaths recorded during the same period last year, according to data from the state emergency operation centre. Of the 65 deaths, 45 were due to road accidents and 20 to natural disasters such as landslides and flash floods. Another 18 people are missing -- nine each due to road mishaps and natural calamities. Among the worst incidents was Thursday's accident in Rudraprayag, where a bus carrying Char Dham pilgrims plunged into the Alaknanda river after colliding with a speeding truck, killing five. Seven passengers are still missing with officials saying their chances of survival are slim. On Sunday, a cloudburst in Badkot area of Uttarkashi triggered a landslide that hit a labour camp, killing two construction workers. Seven others are still missing even as heavy rain continues in several parts of the state. The regional meteorological centre has issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in nine districts for Monday. Experts say monsoon arrived slightly early this year and began with intense rainfall, triggering widespread landslides and slope failures. They also flagged ongoing road-widening works in the hills, which have destabilised slopes by leaving loose debris at mid-elevations. "Given the volume and intensity of the early monsoon rain, it was inevitable that this debris would come down," said Piyoosh Rautela, former executive director of Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA). Neighbouring Himachal Pradesh also reported similar slope failures. Geologists warn that the natural angle of repose – the steepest angle at which loose material can remain stable – has been disrupted, significantly increasing the risk of landslides and road collapses. Reacting to the 100% rise in fatalities from road accidents and natural disasters, Anoop Nautiyal, founder of Doon-based think-tank, SDC Foundation, said, "This rise in fatalities coincides with a 29% increase in Char Dham pilgrims, with 18.2 lakh visiting the shrines between June 1 and 28, up from 14.1 lakh last year," he said. Nautiyal stressed the need for a systemic response. "The state govt must stop treating each disaster in isolation. With the monsoon intensifying in July and Aug, what's needed is action, not just condolences and announcements," he said.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Himalayas face growing rock-ice avalanche risk as temperatures rise: Experts
Dehradun: The recent rock-ice collapse on Switzerland's Birch Glacier, which buried 90% of the alpine village of Blatten under nine million cubic metres of ice, rock and debris, has reignited global concern over glacial instability amid rising temperatures. While a timely evacuation prevented casualties, the incident highlighted the growing threat of rock-ice avalanches (RIAs) – sudden, massive slope failures triggered by thawing permafrost and heavy debris accumulation. A recent study published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal 'Landslides' (Springer) has raised alarm about the increasing frequency and intensity of such events across High Mountain Asia (HMA), which includes the Himalayas, Karakoram and Tibetan Plateau. An analysis of 60 large-scale RIAs revealed that these disasters claimed at least 1,366 lives and inflicted extensive damage to ecosystems, water resources, infrastructure and local communities. Notable examples include the 2015 Langtang avalanche in Nepal, which killed roughly 350 people, and the 2021 Reni disaster in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, which left over 200 dead and destroyed two hydropower projects. A rock-ice avalanche is the rapid downslope flow of a mixture of rock and ice, often initiated by the collapse of a rock mass on or near a glacier. These events are particularly hazardous in glaciated mountain regions due to their high speeds, long runouts, and potential to evolve into devastating debris flows. The study found that 86% of these avalanches originated from steep, high-altitude slopes — mostly north or northeast-facing — and were primarily triggered by a combination of permafrost thaw, seismic activity and unstable bedrock. Nearly half of the events triggered cascading disasters, increasing their destructive potential tenfold and allowing runouts of up to 30 km. Experts warn that similar conditions are emerging across the Himalayas, where accelerating glacier thinning, warming permafrost, intense monsoonal rains and tectonic activity are converging to create a high-risk environment. "Global warming and temperature variability are altering glacial mass balance and thawing permafrost, heightening the risk of extreme events like rock-ice avalanches," said Dr Farooq Azam, a cryosphere expert at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Nepal. Geologist and former executive director of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, Piyoosh Rautela, explained that cascading events are more likely when avalanches start from small, steep glaciers and feed into high-discharge river systems. "Medium-sized avalanches are particularly dangerous due to their ideal mix of debris volume and mobility," he said. Pierre Yves, senior advisor on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, warned that continued warming, especially in permafrost zones, makes high-altitude Himalayan slopes increasingly prone to collapse. "Urgent hazard mapping and early warning systems are essential, especially in valleys with habitations and critical infrastructure," he said.
