Experts are investigating whether a recent glacial collapse may have caused three landslides and flash floods in Uttarkashi. A critical glacier, reaching 6,700 meters, reportedly shed significant debris days prior, likely exacerbated by recent heavy rainfall that loosened the material. Safi Ahsan Rizvi from the National Disaster Management Authority noted that while scientific analysis is limited, the link to glacial activity seems plausible.
Anil Kulkarni, a scientist from the Indian Institute of Science, emphasized the mountainous terrain’s vulnerability to glacial involvement. Satellite imagery indicates a glacier moraine upstream that might have created a lake behind an endomoraine, which could worsen if rainfall continues.
The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology has yet to confirm its findings due to insufficient data, while considerations of cloudbursts and historical landslides in the area contribute to the analysis. Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) pose risks, having caused significant damage in previous years. Meanwhile, the Indian Weather Service predicts a decrease in rainfall after Thursday, although adverse weather is still reported in the region.
Source link
