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Geographisches Institut

Chamoli disaster in India

GIUZ researchers are involved in the efforts of the scientific community to collect data and information on the enormous rock-ice avalanche in Uttarakhand, Northern India, which unleashed a massive flood of water, ice, debris and rocks, destroying everything in its path.

glacier disaster India

Summary of first insights into the Chamoli disaster, February 7 2021

In a remarkable community effort, an ad-hoc working group of international and Indian scientists from the wider GAPHAZ community and beyond is working on understanding the processes that led to the destructive flood in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India on February 7, 2021. A working document summarizing the insights on this event is available, targeting to decision makers and technicians involved in follow-up activities on the ground, but also open to scientists, the press and other interested persons.
Download Summary Chamoli, Update Feb 20, 2021

In the media

Is India’s glacier disaster a stark warning of more climate risks to come?
“We believe the failure happened within the rock and the glacier ice on top just collapsed together with the glacier,” says Holger Frey, a glaciologist from the University of Zurich and part of the Glacier and Permafrost Hazards in Mountains, a scientific group who has worked with the Indian government to provide guidelines for managing such risks. Frey and his network have been contacted by the India’s National Disaster Management Authority to help analyse the data from the incident.
Geneva Solutions, 12 February 2021

Naturkatastrophe im Himalaya: Ein Berg stürzt ab
"Wir sind ziemlich sicher", sagt Frank Paul vom Geografischen Institut der Universität Zürich, "dass die Ursache der Katastrophe der Abbruch eines Hängegletschers war, der reichlich Fels mitgerissen hat." Paul arbeitet auch für den Weltgletscher-Beobachtungsdienst und ist spezialisiert auf die Auswertung von Satellitenbildern.
Süddeutsche Zeitung, 16. Februar 2021

Weiterführende Informationen

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Research Group on Environment and Climate

Mehr zu Research Group on Environment and Climate