A Perspective on Rishiganga-Dhauliganga Flash Flood in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Garhwal Himalaya, India

A catastrophic flash flood in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Garhwal Himalaya, India, on 7 February 2021, was linked to the detachment of a large rock mass and overlying hanging glacier in the Raunthi catchment. This event dammed the Rishiganga River, causing widespread devastation downstream, including damage to roads, bridges, and hydropower projects. Researchers conducted immediate ground-based and heliborne surveys, supplemented by Google Earth imagery, to identify the plausible causes of this disaster. The study highlights the vulnerability of Himalayan regions to such geomorphological hazards and underscores the need for robust risk assessment and mitigation strategies in ecologically sensitive areas like UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Sain, K., Kumar, A., Mehta, M., Verma, A., Tiwari, S. K., Garg, P. K., Kumar, V., Rai, S. K., Srivastava, P., & Sen, K. (2021). A Perspective on Rishiganga-Dhauliganga Flash Flood in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Garhwal Himalaya, India. Journal of the Geological Society of India, 97(4), 335–338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-021-1691-5