Abstract ID: 3.7637 | Pending | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA

The Himalayas are prone to several geo-hydrological disasters such as flash floods, debris flows, landslides, mass movements, and rock falls. The Cloudbursts and glacier bursts usually trigger these disasters that are very active and frequent in the Himalayan regions and happens mainly during the peak monsoon season usually from July to September. The study assesses the geo-hydrological disasters of the Uttarakhand Himalaya that occurred from July to September, 2022. Additionally, the study examines the magnitude of the disaster and maps the disaster hotspot areas in the Uttarakhand regions. The study employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The Data on geo-hydrological disasters which occurred during the monsoon season were collected from the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority. Besides, an empirical study of the Song and Bandal and River valleys was carried out. These two river valleys were severely hit by cloudburst-triggered debris flows and flash floods in 2022. A household-level survey of the damage caused by huge flash floods and debris flows in three villages of Bandal valley was carried out. The data was analyzed and mapped and the Uttarakhand Himalayas was divided into various disaster hotspot zones. The study suggests that the construction of settlements must be banned in the vulnerable areas, along the river valleys, and on the fragile slopes. Nature-based disaster risk reduction approach should be implemented to reduce the impact of geo-hydrological disasters in the Himalayan regions.