On 7 Feb 2021, a catastrophic mass flow descended the Ronti Gad, Rishiganga, and Dhauliganga valleys in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India, causing widespread devastation and severely damaging two hydropower projects. Over 200 people were killed or are missing. Our analysis of satellite imagery, seismic records, numerical model results, and eyewitness videos reveals that ~27x106 m3 of rock and glacier ice collapsed from the steep north face of Ronti Peak. The rock and ice avalanche rapidly transformed into an extraordinarily large and mobile debris flow that transported boulders >20 m in diameter, and scoured the valley walls up to 220 m above the valley floor. The intersection of the hazard cascade with downvalley infrastructure resulted in a disaster, which highlights key questions about adequate monitoring and sustainable development in the Himalaya as well as other remote, high-mountain environments.
Abstract. Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are among the most
concerning consequences of retreating glaciers in mountain ranges worldwide.
GLOFs have attracted significant attention amongst scientists and
practitioners in the past 2 decades, with particular interest in the
physical drivers and mechanisms of GLOF hazard and in socioeconomic and other
human-related developments that affect vulnerabilities to GLOF events. This
increased research focus on GLOFs is reflected in the gradually increasing
number of papers published annually. This study offers an overview of recent
GLOF research by analysing 594 peer-reviewed GLOF studies published between
2017 and 2021 (Web of Science and Scopus databases), reviewing the content and
geographical focus as well as other characteristics of GLOF studies. This
review is complemented with perspectives from the first GLOF conference (7–9
July 2021, online) where a global GLOF research community of major
mountain regions gathered to discuss the current state of the art of
integrated GLOF research. Therefore, representatives from 17 countries
identified and elaborated trends and challenges and proposed possible ways
forward to navigate future GLOF research, in four thematic areas: (i) understanding GLOFs – timing and processes; (ii) modelling GLOFs and GLOF
process chains; (iii) GLOF risk management, prevention and warning; and (iv) human dimensions of GLOFs and GLOF attribution to climate change.
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