The Rs 110 million research project in which Indian and UK scientists will focus on the 150km stretch hit by the 2021 Chamoli disaster. The flood killed 204 people and destroyed hydroelectric facilities.
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Uttarakhand’s Chamoli disaster killed 200 people
Scientists from India and the UK are working together to learn more about the 2021 ice-rock avalanche in Uttarakhand. The avalanche killed 200 people and caused a lot of damage.
Natural Environment Research Council to fund this Rs 110 million research project
The £110,000 project is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council will focus on the 150km stretch of the Ganga river. The scientists and researchers will use data gathered after the disaster to monitor changes in the landscape and river basin.
To improve disaster-mitigation
“We have done many studies before, but there is still much to learn about the long-term effects of such calamities. For instance, the huge sediment flow has led to toe cutting near the slopes leading to Reni village which may further exacerbate the local land subsidence. There are many villages, communities living in this region, and we need this knowledge to better guide about any development work in this region, and improve disaster-mitigation,” said Dr Kalachand Sain, Director of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun.
This 3-year project name is SUPERSLUG
The three-year project is called SUPERSLUG. It is based on the huge amount of debris created by natural disasters. The project will be led by the University of Plymouth with scientists, experts from other UK and international universities. The first team is scheduled to visit Chamoli in November.
After 2021, What is the current impact scenario?
Three years on from the Chamoli disaster, scientists will look at how landslides affect rivers and communities long after the initial event. “We need to understand how these events affect river catchments and the communities that rely on them for water, power and their livelihoods,” said project lead Matt Westoby, Associate Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Plymouth
Important implications of this research
The research has important implications for the Himalayas, which are already at risk of more disasters due to climate change and deforestation.
“The Himalayas are one of the most active and dangerous mountain ranges on Earth. Climate change will make this worse, with more intense monsoons causing landslides and glacial ice melting causing floods,” said Dr Westoby.
Alleviating Future Disasters
The scientists team will use data to predict where, when and how extreme events might affect the area. They will also use sensors and automatic water-level monitors to study the debris flow.
“It’s often the rocks and sediment, not the flood water, that causes the most damage. The team thinks the sediment will move like a wave. We don’t know how long it will take. It could take years, decades or centuries. Understanding how long it will take is important for managing the event and predicting its impact.” Dr Westoby added.
204 people who died were visiting power plants
Almost all of those who died, which was 204 in total, were either working in, or visiting, the power plants. They had no warning of what was coming towards them.
Kavita Upadhyay, an Indian journalist who has written about the environment and hydroelectric power in the region, said to BBC that more thought should be given to building major infrastructure projects in a region prone to landslides, flooding and earthquakes.
“This isn’t the first time these power plants have been damaged,” she said.
“They were damaged in the 2012/13/16 floods. So you have to ask questions about putting this infrastructure in such a fragile zone. You can say there shouldn’t be development, but governments aren’t going to listen. They’re providing jobs, and for governments, hydro is also about moving away from fossil fuels. But if we look at practical solutions, then at least have early-warning systems in place.”
