Published June 10, 2021
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A massive rock and ice avalanche caused the 2021 disaster at Chamoli, Indian Himalaya

Creators

  • 1. University of Calgary
  • 2. Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
  • 3. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
  • 4. ETH Zurich
  • 5. University of Washington
  • 6. Independent journalist/water policy researcher, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India.
  • 7. University of Zurich
  • 8. University of Potsdam
  • 9. United States Geological Survey
  • 10. University of Minnesota
  • 11. University of Graz
  • 12. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
  • 13. University of Toulouse
  • 14. University of Utah
  • 15. Heidelberg University
  • 16. University of Geneva
  • 17. University of Leeds
  • 18. Simon Fraser University
  • 19. Department of Natural Disasters, High-Mountain Geophysical Institute, Nalchik, Russia.
  • 20. Newcastle University
  • 21. University of Dayton
  • 22. University of Oslo
  • 23. Planetary Science Institute
  • 24. University of Alberta
  • 25. University of Grenoble
  • 26. University of Sheffield
  • 27. Indian Institute of Technology Indore
  • 28. UNESCO
  • 29. University of Dundee
  • 30. Jawaharlal Nehru University
  • 31. Stockholm International Water Institute
  • 32. WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland.
  • 33. University of British Columbia
  • 34. University of Exeter
  • 35. Kathmandu
  • 36. Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology
  • 37. University of Kashmir
  • 38. University of Delhi
  • 39. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
  • 40. Utrecht University
  • 41. University of Chile
  • 42. Northumbria University

Description

On 7 Feb 2021, a catastrophic mass flow descended the Ronti Gad, Rishiganga, and Dhauliganga valleys in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India, causing widespread devastation and severely damaging two hydropower projects. Over 200 people were killed or are missing. Our analysis of satellite imagery, seismic records, numerical model results, and eyewitness videos reveals that ~27x106 m3 of rock and glacier ice collapsed from the steep north face of Ronti Peak. The rock and ice avalanche rapidly transformed into an extraordinarily large and mobile debris flow that transported boulders >20 m in diameter, and scoured the valley walls up to 220 m above the valley floor. The intersection of the hazard cascade with downvalley infrastructure resulted in a disaster, which highlights key questions about adequate monitoring and sustainable development in the Himalaya as well as other remote, high-mountain environments.
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