Summary:
Dehradun, Mar 16 (PTI) A robust system to continuously monitor seismological data could have helped save hundreds of lives in the glacial disaster in Chamoli district on February 7 last year, an expert said on Wednesday.
A portion of the Nanda Devi glacier had broken off, triggering an avalanche and a deluge in the Alaknanda river system that washed away hydroelectric stations.
Two power projects – NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad Hydel Project and the Rishi Ganga Hydel Project – were extensively damaged.
Director of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Kalachand Sai, who recently conducted a post-mortem of the glacial disaster along with senior scientist of the institute Anil Tiwari, said that the seismic station in Tapovan had recorded creeping activity in the rock mass around two-and-a half hours ahead of its detachment and downward slide.
However, in the absence of a sound system of monitoring, the data could not be read in real time, leading to the loss of hundreds of lives.
Glacier-related activities take place normally at an altitude of 3,500 metres to 4,000 metres above the sea level where there is no human habitation.