Landslide near Gomukh glacier: Snow hits inspection

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 13

The Uttarakhand government is carefully monitoring the situation arising due to landslide occurrence near the snout of Gomukh glacier, though a team (technical task force) that was dispatched yesterday had to return midway due to snowfall.

The 12-member team comprising experienced men from the SDRF (State disaster relief force) in Uttarkashi and scientists from the Wadia Instititue of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) was sent to assess the situation on the ground after the satellite imagery pictures had shown landslide occurrence at the snout of Gomukh glacier. The Uttarakhand government was tipped about the landslides images by the Central government agencies and the possibility of an occurrence of lake like activity was also not ruled out. The team has been specifically asked to assess the situation on the ground such as the flow of Ganga (Bhagirithi) and check for the lake formation in the river (Bhagirithi) after the landslide. The team members are expected to take the 18-km trek from Gangotri to Gomukh. The government sources claim the discharge in the river is continuous.

“Landslides keep occurring at the Nelang valley and Gomukh glacier, but a lake-like formation in Bhagirithi or nearby could pose problems. The team will again make an attempt tomorrow. We had even tried sending a helicopter but due to bad weather conditions it could not fly,” said Amit Negi, secretary, Disaster Management.

Further, the district authorities in Uttarkashi have also asked the ITBP to have a recce of Nelang valley to ascertain the ground situation.

Significantly, during the 2013 natural disaster in which Kedarnath was flooded the deluge was attributed to the bursting of the Chorabari lake that had accumulated water due to incessant monsoonal rains.

Avalanche warning in Chamoli

• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a medium danger avalanche warning for Uttarakhand in areas above 2,500 meters in the hilly district of Chamoli in Uttarakhand.
• It has also suggested evacuation of settlements from unprotected areas.
• It has also warned of snowy conditions in the districts of Uttarkashi, Tehri, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh