A rock-and-ice avalanche from Ronti peak triggered catastrophic flooding in Chamoli district, killing or leaving missing around 300 people, mostly dam workers.
Key Facts
- Date
- 7 February 2021
- Killed or missing
- ~300 people
- Primary victims
- Workers at Tapovan dam site
- Source of avalanche
- Ronti peak
- Rivers affected
- Rishiganga, Dhauliganga, Alaknanda
- Nearby protected area
- Nanda Devi National Park (UNESCO)
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A large rock and ice avalanche dislodged from Ronti peak in the outer Garhwal Himalayas, near Nanda Devi National Park. The collapse sent a massive volume of debris and meltwater rushing into valley river systems, generating a sudden and powerful glacial outburst flood.
On 7 February 2021, the flood surge swept through the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, inundating the Rishiganga and Dhauliganga rivers and subsequently the Alaknanda, a primary headstream of the Ganges. The torrent destroyed infrastructure and engulfed the Tapovan dam construction site.
Around 300 people were killed or reported missing, the majority being workers at the Tapovan dam site. The disaster raised international concern about the risks of hydropower development in ecologically sensitive and geologically unstable Himalayan zones.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 300 (flood)