Hanging glacier possibly broke from main part causing damage in Chamoli: DRDO scientist

New Delhi: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist Dr LK Sinha on Monday said that a hanging glacier in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli may have broken away from the main glacier which caused damage.

Sinha said that DRDO scientists are analysing the data to ascertain the cause of glacier burst.

“Our team did an aerial survey of the glacier where the incident took place in Chamoli. Prima facie, it looks that a hanging glacier broke away from the main glacier and came down in the narrow valley,” the DRDO scientist told ANI.

#WATCH | Aerial view of the devastation site in Chamoli, #Uttarakhand from the helicopter deployed for distribution of relief material. pic.twitter.com/UIx9FTcyo0

— ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2021

“In the valley, it formed a lake which burst later and caused the damage. The data is being analysed by our scientists in detail and if required, they would again go to get more details.” The DRDO scientist further said.

In Joshimath, the Additional Director General (ADG) of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said, “After the bridge collapsed in Raini village during glacier burst, around 13 villages have been cut off near areas such as Malari and Ghansali. There is heavy deployment of ITBP there near the India-China border. We have alerted them.”

चमोली में तबाही से अबतक 15 की मौत, रेस्क्यू ऑपरेशन जारी

read – https://t.co/uQk7zIw2Jw#Uttarakhand #Chamoli @tsrawatbjp pic.twitter.com/F83fMHwX3a

— Newsroompost (@NewsroomPostCom) February 8, 2021

“The dropping of food supply underway in Lata and Raini villages. We are helping to take it further from there. Teams of the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), ITBP, and state Police are working in collaboration here,” he added.

Tapovan Hydro-Electric Power Dam, also known as Rishi Ganga Project was completely washed off following a glacier burst in the Chamoli, said the Indian Air Force’s initial report as Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) deployed at Joshimath has undertaken recce of the affected areas.

In the valley it formed a lake which burst later and caused the damage. The data is being analysed by our scientists in detail and if required, they would again go to get more details: Dr LK Sinha, Director, Defence Geo-Informatics Research Establishment, DRDO to ANI

— ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2021

A glacial broke in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday, which led to massive flooding in Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers and damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project.