Uttarakhand glacier burst: What is glacial outburst and why does it happen?

After a part of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off at Joshimath in Uttarkhand near the Rishi Ganga power project leading to a massive flood in Dhauli Ganga river, the state government has issued helpline numbers for people stranded in those affected areas.

What is glacial burst?

These rare instances occur when water dammed by a glacier or moraine is released. The glacier containing the body of water melts and overflows the glacier. 

Why does a glacier break?

Glaciers break can happen due to erosion, a buildup of water pressure, an avalanche of rock or heavy snow, an earthquake or cryoseism, volcanic eruptions under the ice. 

It can also happen after a massive displacement of water in a glacial lake when a large portion of an adjacent glacier collapses into it.

The direct causes of glacial lake outbursts are earthquake, heavy rainfall/snowmelt, long-term dam degradation, etc.

Several feared missing

Over 150 people have lost their lives and over 150 are missing following the massive flood near the power project, officials said.

People stuck in those areas have been advised to call: Disaster Operations Center number 1070, 1905 or 9557444486.

Trivendra Singh Rawat said that 600 personnel from the Indian Army and ITBP are on standby for dealing with any emerging situation and all the rescue teams are doing their best to save lives of missing workers at NTPC (140 nos) and RishiGanga site (17 nos).  

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CM Rawat said that medical teams have been rushed to the affected site and a 30-bed hospital has been kept ready at Joshimath for dealing with this emergency.

"Hospitals in Srinagar, Rishikesh, Jollygrant, and Dehradun are on standby. We are doing our best to deal with this disaster.," CM said.

A glacier broke off at Joshimath in the Chamoli district on Sunday causing large-scale devastation in the upper reaches of the ecologically fragile Himalayas and nearby Rishiganga power porject. Homes along the way were swept away as the waters rushed down the mountainsides in a raging torrent. There were fears of damage in human settlements downstream. Many villages were evacuated and people taken to safer areas.

According to a statement by Chamoli police, the Rishiganga Power Project was damaged after a breach of a glacier in the Tapovan area.