Glacier Outburst in India. Developing
February 7, 2021
NEW DELHI — A piece of a glacier broke off high in the Himalayas on Sunday, causing a deadly flash flood that smashed through a hydroelectric power plant and destroyed homes in India. More than 125 people were reported missing.
India rushed disaster response teams to Uttarakhand, a mountainous northern state. Seven bodies have been recovered. Because of the rapid flow of the water, bodies were being recovered away from the disaster site, officials told local media.
Ashok Kumar, Uttarakhand’s police chief, said the avalanche occurred at 11 a.m. Authorities evacuated several villages downstream. “The picture will be clear tomorrow morning,” he said, referring to the rescue operations and those missing.
Television channels aired footage of water barreling down a narrow canyon and sweeping away the power plant at its base. A second state-run power plant nearby also suffered extensive damage.
February 7, 2021 at 4:42 pm
Sad event – but many studies have been warning of glacier break-ups for many months now – ironically there was an article released in Livemint a few hours before this happened.
As the century progresses we will surely see repeats in alpine areas and the time has surely come to try and move people away from vulnerable spots like this.
============================
“The analysis, spanning 40 years of satellite observations across India, China, Nepal and Bhutan, indicates that climate change is eating the Himalayan glaciers, researchers said.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/uttarakhand-flood-2019-study-warned-himalayan-glaciers-melting-at-alarming-speed/article33775216.ece
“Uttarakhand flood: 2019 study warned Himalayan glaciers melting at alarming speed
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/uttarakhand-flood-2019-study-warned-himalayan-glaciers-melting-at-alarming-speed/article33775216.ece