Glacier burst in Chamoli: The Uttarakhand tragedy has not only caused massive loss of life but also wiped off the Tapovan dam and impacted the Rishi Ganga project
What caused the sudden deluge in Uttarakhand? While experts continue to battle out the reasons for the flash floods, some leading climate scientists believe it to be a rare incident of a glacial burst, which may be a climate change event .
The glacial burst led to the rising of water levels in the river Rishiganga and washed away the Rishiganga small hydro project of 13.2 MW. It also damaged a bigger one further down the Dhauliganga river being built by state firm NTPC. According to reports, most of the missing people were working on these two projects.
Quoting ISRO scientists, Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat said that the avalanches that struck the Chamoli region on Sunday might have been caused by abrupt snowslide instead of glacier burst.
URL copied Image Source : AP
A view of the damaged Dhauliganga hydropower project at Reni village in Chamoli district after portion of Nanda Devi glacier broke off in Tapovan area of the northern state of Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, who visited Chamoli in wake of the deluge following a glacier burst on Sunday, said that over 125 people are missing and the number is likely to rise further.
He said that the army, ITBP and National and State Disaster Relief Force personnel are undertaking relief and rescue operations in the affected areaa. He also announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the families of all the deceased.