With rescue efforts still underway, the disaster has swiftly become international news.
Media coverage has speculated about the cause of the devastation, with glacial lake “outbursts”, broken glaciers and avalanches all put forward as possible explanations.
In this factcheck, Carbon Brief unpacks how the events unfolded and speaks to scientists who suggest that a landslide was, in fact, the most likely primary cause.
And while further analysis is needed to assess the role of climate change, one scientist tells Carbon Brief that rising temperatures are causing “more of these big slope collapses”.
What happened?
According to police in Uttrakhand, the flood hit around 05:30GMT (11:00 local time). The torrent of water, ice and debris first destroyed the Rishiganga hydroelectric project – a small dam of roughly 13.2MW. BBC News reported that “the impact catapulted water along the Dhauliganga river” where it hit the much larger 520MW Tapovan Vishnugad hydropower
कृषि कानून विरोधियों के पास कोई तथ्य नहीं : धनखड़
jagran.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from jagran.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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amarujala.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from amarujala.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Earlier state chief secretary Om Prakash said 100 to 150 people were feared dead
Author of the article:
Devjyot Ghoshal and Manoj Kumar
Publishing date: Feb 08, 2021  â¢Â February 8, 2021  â¢Â 3 minute read  â¢Â This general view shows state-run NTPC hydropower project site damaged after a broken glacier caused a major river surge that swept away bridges and roads, near Joshimath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, on February 7, 2021. Photo by AJAY BHATT/AFP
Article content
Around 125 people were missing in northern India after a Himalayan glacier broke and swept away a small hydroelectric dam on Sunday, with floods forcing the evacuation of villages downstream.
A wall of dust, rock and water hit as an avalanche roared down the Rishiganga valley deep in the mountains of Uttarakhand, a witness said.