Recently, a massive disaster was reported in Dharali village of Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, located on the Gangotri pilgrimage route. Initially described as a cloudburst, further investigation suggests the possibility of a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) or sudden glacial water discharge. This event is not just a tragedy — it is a high-probability topic for UPSC Prelims, Mains (GS-1, GS-3, Disaster Management, Environment) and Essay.
Contents
What is a Cloudburst? (As per IMD)
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a cloudburst occurs when:
- More than 100 mm of rainfall occurs within one hour
- Over a small area of around 20–30 sq. km
In Dharali, early estimates suggested rainfall of up to 200 mm — double the minimum requirement for a cloudburst. However, official IMD data later stated that no heavy rainfall was recorded, raising doubts about the cloudburst explanation.
This indicates that other geomorphological processes may be responsible.
Could this be a GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood)?
Dharali is located between Harsil and Gangotri, an area packed with:
- Active glaciers
- Glacial lakes
- Steep river valleys
- High seismic vulnerability
The Hindu Kush–Karakoram–Himalayan (HKH) Region is often called the “Third Pole” or the “World’s Water Tower” because it hosts:
- Around 20,000–55,000 glaciers
- More than 7,500 glacial lakes
- Source of major rivers like the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra
Rapid glacial melting due to climate change, combined with unstable moraine dams, increases the risk of a GLOF, where massive amounts of water suddenly burst down the valley.
This is exactly what was seen in Sikkim (2023) and now in Dharali.
Geography of Uttarkashi: A Natural Disaster Hotspot
Uttarkashi features:
- Steep elevation rise from 100m to over 3000m
- Fast-flowing rivers like Bhagirathi
- Narrow valleys and fragile slopes
- Located in a seismically active Himalayan belt
Dharali specifically lies along the Kheer Ganga stream, a tributary shaped by glacial activity, making it extremely prone to:
- Mudflows
- Flash floods
- Landslides
- Rockfalls
This extreme topography is one of the primary reasons why disasters here become more intense and destructive.
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The Role of Human Intervention (Anthropogenic Factors)
While often called a “natural disaster”, Dharali’s tragedy is heavily man-made:
- Dharali lies along the Char Dham Yatra Route (NH-34)
- The area has more than 50+ hotels in a narrow 4–5 km stretch
- Major infrastructure work under the Char Dham Highway Project
- Massive road widening causing slope instability
- Over 25,000 trees lost (373 hectares diverted from forest land)
- 56,000+ trees cut in Uttarkashi alone
- 20 million tonnes of excavated soil dumped into rivers
This region is part of the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (over 4000 sq km), officially classified as ecologically fragile. Yet heavy construction continues, weakening natural defenses.
The reality is:
Climate change triggered the disaster. Human action multiplied its impact.
Repeated Pattern in the Himalayas
Dharali is not the first warning.
We have already seen:
- Kedarnath floods (2013)
- Sikkim GLOF (2023)
- Kashmir floods
- Himachal landslides
- Chamoli disaster
These events prove that uncontrolled development in the Himalayan ecosystem directly leads to large-scale disasters.
For UPSC aspirants, this is a perfect case study linking:
- Climate Change
- Glacial retreat
- Human-environment interaction
- Disaster management
- Sustainable development
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FAQs
- #Cloudburst – What is a cloudburst as per the India Meteorological Department?
- #HimalayanDisasters – Why are Glacial Lake Outburst Floods increasing in the Himalayan region?
- #CharDhamProject – How has the Char Dham highway project intensified disaster risk in Uttarakhand?
- #HinduKushHimalaya – Why is the HKH region called the “World’s Water Tower” and why is it vulnerable?
