A massive rock and ice avalanche caused the 2021 disaster at Chamoli, Indian Himalaya

TLDR

A catastrophic landslide in Uttarakhand, India, in February 2021 destroyed two hydropower plants and killed or left missing over 200 people, triggered by a massive rock‑and‑ice avalanche that turned into a deadly debris flow upstream of the first plant. The study aims to describe the cascade of events that led to this disaster. The event sequence underscores rising risk in the Himalayas due to warming and development. Shugar et al., Science, 2021, p.

Abstract

A deadly cascade A catastrophic landslide in Uttarakhand state in India on February 2021 damaged two hydropower plants, and more than 200 people were killed or are missing. Shugar et al. describe the cascade of events that led to this disaster. A massive rock and ice avalanche roared down a Himalayan valley, turning into a deadly debris flow upstream from the first of the two hydropower plants. The sequence of events highlights the increasing risk in the Himalayas caused by increased warming and development. Science , abh4455, this issue p. 300