From Glaciers to floods- Nature’s mirror of human choices!
Shimla, Aug 7,
Receding glaciers in the Trans and Higher Himalayas are leaving behind vast amounts of loose surface and sub-surface sediments, prone to being carried away by sudden, heavy rainfall events. This vulnerability was identified as a key factor in the disaster triggered by extreme rainfall in Himachal Pradesh on July 31 night or August 1 early morning this year. A fact-finding report by Himalaya Niti Abhiyan (HNA) highlighted that infrastructure development, especially hydel power projects, are at significant risk of high, sudden sediment discharge at high velocity, particularly in the soft sediment portions of the paraglacial zone.
The HNA team, comprising Guman Singh, Vivek Negi, Kulbhusan Upmanyu, Dr. Naveen Juyal, Manshi Asher, and Soumya Dutta, conducted their analysis based on visits to Sainj market along Sainj River, Malana Khad and Parvati Valley, Samej market and downstream, and Bagipul area along Kurpan Khad—areas worst affected by the disaster.
Post midnight on August 1, 2024, a cloudburst along the Pir Panjal range in the high Himalayas led to flash floods in the Samej, Kurpan, and Ganvi Khad regions, stemming from the Shrikhand Mahadev mountain peak and glacier zone. Another cloudburst occurred above Malana, causing a flash flood in Malana Khad, which joins the Parvati River. The Malana dam burst was attributed to the failure of Phase 1 project gates, leading to the erosion of the soft sediment valley portion and subsequent burst of the water dam, although the main dam structure remained intact.
The Sainj River valley also faced disaster due to torrential rainfall, with the HPPCL Niharni dam and NHPC Parvati Phase III dam both opening their gates simultaneously, resulting in the washing away of the left bank road of Sainj market.
The report attributed the increasing frequency of high-intensity rainfall and cloudburst events in the Himalayan region to global warming and changing climatic patterns. It noted that the Indian Southwest monsoon and extended Western disturbances from the Mediterranean region are clashing, leading to more frequent hazardous events.
The report detailed severe impacts in the Malana stream and Parvati Valley, where the Malana dam burst occurred due to the erosion of soft sediments along the right portion of the dam structure. The gates of the dam were stuck due to sediment and boulders, and the failure to open them in time led to the disaster. This mirrors the incident from the previous year when the Malana Phase 2 dam gates failed to open, causing similar damage.
In the Hathithan area near Bhunter, several buildings collapsed during the July 2023 floods, and similar destruction was observed this year. The Shaat Subzi mandi building, constructed on or close to the riverbed, collapsed, as did a school building, a camping site, a village temple, and extensive tracts of agricultural and horticultural lands in Baladhi and Chouhki villages. The flash flood altered the river course, forming an island where a few families were stranded overnight before being rescued.
In Samej Village, Shimla district, the flash flood washed away about 26 residential houses, a market area, the Senior Secondary School, and a PHC. Several more houses downstream were also destroyed. A micro-hydel project in the downstream region was damaged, and huge boulders carried by the upstream flash flood were observed in the area. At least 30-40 people were reported missing, with a few bodies recovered so far. The report noted that people had migrated to this riverside settlement from upper mountain villages after road construction. The area, formerly used for seasonal cropping, had experienced a lower-intensity flash flood about 20 years ago.
Bagipul experienced a similar fate. Previously cultivated as paddy land, this area saw people shift from higher villages following road construction nearly 30 years ago. In Bagipul, eight buildings and two bridges were completely washed away, and around eight people were either lost or missing. Additional houses downstream were damaged or washed away, and large tracts of agricultural land were destroyed. The area, vulnerable to flash floods, has experienced similar events at least twice before.
The report emphasized the need for stricter and specialized planning for construction in paraglacial areas, particularly in the higher and trans-Himalayan regions of Himachal Pradesh.
Key recommendations included enforcing slope stability analysis, comprehensive sediment mapping, and restricting mega hydel projects above 8,000 feet. It also advocated for safety audits of existing dams, afforestation, and bioremediation to prevent erosion and landslides.
Additionally, the report called for technological early warning systems, community-level capacity building, and minimizing blast methods in road construction. Legal frameworks for the rehabilitation and resettlement of disaster-affected families and a public awareness campaign in collaboration with civil society organizations were also highlighted as essential measures to address increasing hazard risks and precautionary actions.
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