9 February 2021 (WMO)* — A relief and rescue operation is underway in Uttarakhand in the Indian Himalayas, after a part of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off and collapsed causing a massive massive flood in the Rishi Ganga /Dhauliganga river, reportedly causing loss of life and the destruction of two hydropower plants, bursting open existing dams, and other infrastructure. Many casualties were feared, alongside widespread environmental damage in an ecologically fragile area of Uttarakhand. The exact cause of the disaster is yet to be ascertained. Early assessments indicate that the event involved a large avalanche of ice and rock. The role of climate-related drivers, and climate change, was not immediately clear. This was not the first such avalanche from these slopes, as experts have identified a similar (but smaller) event from late-2016.