From Himalayas to Alps: Analyzing Patterns in Kedarnath, Chamoli, Dharali, and Blatten Disasters
Abstract
Increasing high-mountain disasters driven by climate change reveal critical patterns across continents, demanding urgent risk reduction. The 2013 Kedarnath catastrophe demonstrated how extreme rainfall triggers devastating debris flows, particularly when settlements occupy historic floodplains. The 2021 Chamoli disaster exemplified cascading risks as glacial retreat destabilized slopes, generating massive rock-ice avalanches that destroyed downstream infrastructure. Similarly, the May 2025 Blatten disaster in the Alps saw successive rockfalls overburden the Birch Glacier, resulting in a catastrophic ice-rock avalanche that buried communities and dammed rivers. The recent August 5, 2025 Dharali event in Indian Himalayas involved rock-ice avalanches amplified by rainfall, devastating communities built on vulnerable debris fans. These events share common drivers: climate-induced glacial retreat exposing unstable slopes, extreme precipitation triggers, and human encroachment into high-risk zones. Critically, they underscore the need for science-based mitigation: advanced slope and glacier monitoring (as demonstrated in Blatten), hydrodynamic modeling for impact prediction (validated in Chamoli), strict land-use zoning to prevent settlement on debris cones (highlighted by Kedarnath and Dharali), and integrated early warning systems. Protecting mountain communities globally requires proactive adaptation through these interconnected strategies to address accelerating cascading hazards.