Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Cause and Process Mechanism of Rockslide Triggered Flood Event in Rishiganga and Dhauliganga River Valleys, Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India Using Satellite Remote Sensing and in situ Observations

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The catchments of Rishiganga and then Dhauliganga valleys in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand were impacted by a catastrophic flood triggered due to a massive rockslide, caused by wedge failure on 7th February, 2021. It is estimated that the massive rockslide of ~ 23 million cubic meter volume containing base rock, deposited ice, and snow got detached from the northern slopes of the Trishul mountain range near Ronti Glacier and created a vertical fall of almost 1700 m before severely impacting the Ronti Gad valley located at 1.5 km downstream of Ronti Glacier snout. The huge detached mass of rock and ice (GLIMS ID: G079733E30381N) swiftly moved downstream through the glaciated valley entraining snow, debris, mud on its way, caused rapid fluidization, created massive water/slush waves, and washed away partially or completely the hydel power projects and bridges in its route. It is estimated that ~ 0.93 Peta Joules of potential energy led to the generation of a significant amount of kinetic and thermal energy, good enough to trigger above-mentioned processes. Post-event analysis of high-resolution satellite data shows flood water marks in the valley and on the rock outcrops reaching up to ~ 80–150 m height on the way to Raini Village. The mud and the slush produced through this process led to the formation of a dammed lake and temporarily blocked one of the tributaries of the Rishiganga joining from the northeast. This study provides an insight into the sequence of events as they unfolded, through multi-temporal satellite image analysis, aerial survey, seismological data in conjunction with various other geo-spatial and geo-visualization tools for unraveling the flood event that has happened on February 7, 2021. We also discuss the potential cause of rockslide and the process mechanism of this unique event, causing loss of lives and property besides widespread devastation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bhutiyani, M. R., Kale, V. S., & Pawar, N. J. (2010). Climate change and the precipitation variations in the northwestern Himalaya: 1866–2006. International. Journal of Climatology, 30, 535–548.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhatt, C. M., Rao, G. S., Farooq, M., Manjusree, P., Shukla, A., Sharma, S. V. S. P., Kulkarni, S. S., Begum, A., Bhanumurthy, V., Diwakar, P. G., & Dadhwal, V. K. (2017). Satellite-based assessment of the catastrophic Jhelum floods of September 2014, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Geomatics, Natural Hazards and Risk, 8(2), 309–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carrivick, J. L., & Tweed, F. (2016). A global assessment of the societal impact of glacier outburst floods. Global and Planetary Change, 144, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2016.07.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Champati Ray, P. K., Chattoraj, S. L., Bisht, M. P. S., Kannaujiya, S., Pandey, K., & Goswami, A. (2015). Kedarnath disaster 2013 causes and consequences using remote sensing inputs. Natural Hazards, 81, 227–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow, V. T., Maidment, D. R., & Mays, L. W. (1988). Surface Water. Applied Hydrology. (1st ed., pp. 127–166). McGraw-Hill Science.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dence, M. R. (1971). Impact melts. Journal of Geophysical Research, 76, 5552–5565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deshmukh, A., Ho, Oh., & E. & Hastak, M. . (2011). Impact of flood damaged critical infrastructure on communities and industries. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 1(2), 156–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dhote, P. R., Thakur, P. K., Aggarwal, S. P., Sharma, V. C., Garg, V., Nikam, B. R., & Chouksey, A. (2018). Experimental Flood Early Warning System in Parts of Beas Basin Using Integration of Weather Forecasting, Hydrological and Hydrodynamic Models. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 5, 221–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobhal, D. P., Gupta, A., Mehta, M., & Khandelwal, D. D. (2013). Kedarnath disaster: Facts and plausible causes. Current Science, 105(2), 172–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dhote, P. R., Aggarwal, S. P., Thakur, P. K., & Garg, V. (2019). Flood inundation prediction for extreme flood events: a case study of Tirthan River. North West Himalaya. Himalayan Geology, 402(128), 140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faillettaz, J., Funk, M., & Vincent, C. (2015). Avalanching glacier instabilities: Review on processes and early warning perspectives. Reviews of Geophysics, 53(2), 203–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, L., Huggel, C., Kääb, A., & Haeberli, W. (2012). Slope failures and erosion rates on a glacierized high-mountain face under climatic changes. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gruber, S., & Haeberli, W. (2007). Permafrost in steep bedrock slopes and its temperature-related destabilization following climate change. Journal of Geophysical Research. https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JF000547,2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guillén Ludeña, S., Cheng, Z., Constantinescu, G., & Franca, M. J. (2017). Hydrodynamics of mountain-river confluences and its relationship to sediment transport. Journal of Geophysical Research Earth Surface. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JF004122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoegh-Guldberg , O , Jacob , D , Bindi , M , Brown , S , Camilloni , I , Diedhiou , A , Djalante , R , Ebi , K , Engelbrecht , F , Guiot , J , Hijioka , Y , Mehrotra , S , Payne , A , Seneviratne , S I , Thomas , A , Warren , R , Zhou , G , Halim , S A , Achlatis , M , Alexander , L V , Allen , M , Berry , P , Boyer , C , Byers , E , Brilli , L , Buckeridge , M , Cheung , W , Craig , M , Ellis , N , Evans , J , Fischer , H , Fraedrich , K , Fuss , S , Ganase , A , Gattuso , J P , Greve , P , Bolaños , T G , Hanasaki , N , Hasegawa , T , Hayes , K , Hirsch , A , Jones , C , Jung , T , Kanninen , M , Krinner , G , Lawrence , D , Lenton , T , Ley , D , Liverman , D , Mahowald , N , McInnes , K , Meissner , K J , Millar , R , Mintenbeck , K , Mitchell , D , Mix , A C , Notz , D , Nurse , L , Okem , A , Olsson , L , Oppenheimer , M , Paz , S , Petersen , J , Petzold , J , Preuschmann , S , Rahman , M F , Rogelj , J , Scheuffele , H , Schleussner , C-F , Scott , D , Séférian , R , Sillmann , J , Singh , C , Slade , R , Stephenson , K , Stephenson , T , Sylla , M B , Tebboth , M , Tschakert , P , Vautard , R , Wartenburger , R , Wehner , M , Weyer , N M , Whyte , F , Yohe , G , Zhang , X & Zougmoré , R B (2018) Impacts of 1.5ºC Global Warming on Natural and Human Systems. In: Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor, and T. Waterfield (eds.)]. In Press.

  • Huggel, C., Zgraggen-Oswald, S., Haeberli, W., Kääb, A., Polkvoj, A., Galushkin, I., & Evans, S. G. (2005). The 2002 ice/rock avalanche at Kolka/Karmadon, Russian caucasus: Assessment of extraordinary avalanche formation and mobility, and application of quickbird satellite imagery. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 5(2), 173–187. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-5-173-2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kieffer, S. W., & Simonds, C. H. (1980). The role of volatiles and the lithology in the impact cratering process. Space Physics, 18, 143–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, R., Bahuguna, I. M., Ali, S. N., & Singh, R. (2019). Lake Inventory and evolution of glacial lakes in the Nubra-Shyok basin of Karakoram Range. . Environment. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-019-00129-6.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Martha, T. R., & Kumar, K. V. (2013). September, 2012 landslide events in Okhimath, India—an assessment of landslide consequences using very high resolution satellite data. Landslides, 10(4), 469–479.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Negi, H. S., Neha, K., Shekhar, M. S., & Ganju, A. (2018). Recent wintertime climatic variability over the North West Himalayan cryosphere. Current Science, 114(4), 25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey, P., Ali, S. N., Sharma, V., & Champati Ray, P. K. (2020). Focus on Thermokarst Lakes in Indian Himalaya: Inception and implication under warming climate. Journal of Climate Change, 6, 59–69. https://doi.org/10.3233/JCC200012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey, P., Ali, S. N., & Champati Ray, P. K. (2021). Glacier-Glacial Lake Interactions and Glacial Lake development in the Central Himalaya, India (1994–2017). Journal of Earth Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-020-1056-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sattar, A., Goswami, A., & Kulkarni, A. V. (2019). Application of 1D and 2D hydrodynamic modeling to study glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) and its impact on a hydropower station in Central Himalaya. Natural Hazards, 97, 535–553. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-019-03657-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha, A., Wake, C. P., Mayewski, P. A., & Dibb, J. E. (1999). Maximum temperature trends in the Himalaya and its vicinity: an analysis based on temperature records from Nepal for the period 1971–94. Journal of Climate, 12(9), 2775–2786.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thakur, P. K., Aggarwal, S., Aggarwal, S. P., & Jain, S. K. (2016). One dimensional hydrodynamic modeling of GLOF and impact on hydropower projects in Dhauliganga River using remote sensing and GIS applications. Natural Hazards Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-016-2363-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

We gratefully acknowledge the support of Dr K Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Agency (USDMA) and Indian Air Force, in providing necessary support for satellite data access and for aerial survey of the affected site. Authors would like to sincerely thank International Charter for Space and Major Disasters for the satellite datasets provided for the assessment of the affected area under Call-803. The satellite datasets used in the present study from Planet Scope from PLANET, Indian Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation (Resourcesat-2 and Cartosat2A) from ISRO, Sentinel-2A from ESA and Pleaides from CNES obtained through Charter are duly acknowledged. The support received from Earth Observation and Applications & Disaster Management Support Service Program Office (EDPO), ISRO Head Quarters and Dr Rajkumar, Director, NRSC, Hyderabad is also thankfully acknowledged. The support of Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), DST, Govt. of Gujarat is thankfully acknowledged. Authors are also thankful to the critical review comments provided by the two referees to substantially improve the manuscripts.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, ISRO, 4, Kalidas Road, Dehradun, India

    Pratima Pandey, Prakash Chauhan, C. M. Bhatt, Praveen K Thakur, Suresh Kannaujia, Pankaj R. Dhote, Arijit Roy, Ashutosh Bhardwaj & S. P. Aggrawal

  2. Institute of Seismological Research, Gandhinagar, India

    Santosh Kumar & Sumer Chopra

Authors
  1. Pratima Pandey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Prakash Chauhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. M. Bhatt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Praveen K Thakur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Suresh Kannaujia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Pankaj R. Dhote
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Arijit Roy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Santosh Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Sumer Chopra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Ashutosh Bhardwaj
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. S. P. Aggrawal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Prakash Chauhan.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pandey, P., Chauhan, P., Bhatt, C.M. et al. Cause and Process Mechanism of Rockslide Triggered Flood Event in Rishiganga and Dhauliganga River Valleys, Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India Using Satellite Remote Sensing and in situ Observations. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 49, 1011–1024 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-021-01360-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-021-01360-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation