TNIE online desk
The state’s steep slopes, narrow valleys, fractured rocks and sediment-heavy rivers mean intense rainfall can quickly trigger flash floods, debris flows and landslides. Between 2015 and 2024, the state recorded around 12,758 heavy-rain and flood incidents and more than 4,000 landslides.
Expansion of roads, hydropower projects, tunnels, hotels and settlements into fragile slopes, riverbanks and floodplains is increasing human exposure. Road cutting, excavation and improper dumping of construction debris can further destabilise slopes and block natural drainage.
The August 5, 2025 Dharali disaster showed how a destructive surge of mud, boulders and debris can devastate settlements. The article also cautions against automatically labelling every such event a “cloudburst”, since the IMD has a specific rainfall-based definition and the exact cause of the Dharali event required scientific investigation.
Routes to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath pass through narrow valleys, unstable slopes and erosion-prone areas. Tourism does not cause extreme weather, but large seasonal crowds and infrastructure expansion mean more people and assets are exposed when disasters occur.
The central message is that development cannot simply stop, but it must respect the geological and ecological limits of the Himalayas. The article calls for micro-level hazard mapping, better rainfall and river monitoring, early-warning systems, stricter construction rules, scientific slope assessments, proper debris disposal and earthquake-resistant infrastructure.