Chamoli disaster

Avalanche

• A large amount of snow moving quickly down a
mountain- on slopes of 30 to 45 degrees.

• When it stops, the snow becomes solid – people
may die from suffocation, trauma or hypothermia.

Flash Floods

• Caused by heavy rainfall in a short period of time – generally less than 6 hours.

• Characteristics: raging torrents after heavy rains.
 Rip through river beds, urban streets, or mountain canyons etc.

• Can also occur even if no rain has fallen.
 After a dam has failed/after a sudden release of water by ice jam.

Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)

• Glacial lakes: bodies of water influenced by the presence of glaciers.

• Moraine: field of dirt and rocks/debris moving with glaciers- •

When glacier melts, it will change into a lake- moraines act as a dam to the lake.

• When this moraine dam fails- water will be drained through the subsurface tunnels.

• GLOF: release of meltwater from a moraine/ice-dam glacial lake due to dam failure.

Cloudbursts

• A sudden, very heavy rainfall- localised and brief.

• Most cloudbursts occur in connection with
thunderstorms.

• Usually occurs in high altitude areas.
 Formation of a low-pressure zones on
the top of a mountain.