Aug 2025: Surwal Dam Floods Villages in Sawai Madhopur-Rajasthan

August 26, 2025August 27, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Surwal dam flood creates a huge crater in Jarwata village in Sawai Madhopur)

Overflowing of Surwal dam in Rajasthan has severely affected over a dozen villages for more than three days. The dam in Sawai Madhopur district overflowed following excessive rainfall on Aug 22-24, 2025[i]. The Surwal, Mainpura, Jarwata were among the most affected villages where several houses were submerged under 3-5 feet flood water damaging foodgrains and other essential items.

At least 13 people have been reported dead in the district in this flood episode.

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Climate Change · Dams · Disasters · Himalayas · Yamuna River

Aug 2025: Yamuna Flows Blocked at Syana Chatti in Uttarakhand

August 22, 2025August 23, 2025 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Buildings submerged in artificial lake following blockage in Yamuna river at Syana Chatti)

Blockage of Yamuna flows has resulted in formation of an artificial lake in the Yamuna river on August 21, 2025 at Syana Chatti in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The lake is a result of debris and mud floods in Kupada khad (Garh gaad) after the rains in the morning. The water level in the lake dipped in the afternoon and increased again following fresh debris slide from the stream without any rain activity around 04:30 pm.

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Climate Change · Dams · Hydro Power Projects · Rivers

DRP 18 Aug2025: Sustainable Hydropower an Oxymoron?

August 18, 2025 SANDRP1 Comment

Analyzing a recent paper authored by 37 persons mainly from academics and hydropower related companies on “Sustainable Hydropower”, Eugene Simonov shows why the phrase is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. The paper fails to even refer to the most important work on hydropower projects, the report of the World Commission on Dams.

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Bhagirathi · Climate Change · Disasters · Floods · Ganga · Himalayas

Dharali Disaster: Bhagirathi River Blockage Partially Removed

August 17, 2025August 22, 2025 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Formation of artificial lake in Bhagirathi river at Harshil, Uttarkashi)

After 11 days since the Dharali disaster unfolded in Bhagirathi valley Uttarakhand on August 5, 2025, an artificial lake formed on Bhagirathi river has been removed to some extent by the joint team of concerned departments on Aug 16, 2025 noon. The lake was formed after the Tel gaad partially blocked the Bhagirathi river at Harshil about 2.5 km downstream of Dharali.

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Chenab · Climate Change · Floods · Hydropower

Devastation at Chasoti: Underlining the vulnerability of Chenab Basin again

August 15, 2025August 15, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

Last October, we were about 15 kms from Chasoti in the Paddar valley of Jammu when we met Dular Singh jee, Priest of Machail Mata Temple, accompanied by other members of the Temple Management Board. They were on their way to Mindhal Mata Temple also on the banks of Chenab in the neighboring Pangi Valley. Theirs was a journey upstream and ours was downstream. We talked of Chenab, floods, Mindhal and Machail Mata Yatra (pilgrimage) and beautifully carved wooden temples of this region.

And today, Dular Singh jee, who is just 3kms from Chasoti, tells me in voice choked with emotion, “I have not seen such a catastrophic flashflood in my life.” The flood that started around 12 noon on Aug 14 2025, devastating Machail Mata yatra and pilgrims at Chasoti. “Mata Rani sabki raksha kare”. (May the deity protect all). He is also worried about villages like “Hangu, Hanoti, Hamori and Bhajanu Nalla”.

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Climate Change · Disasters · Ganga · GLOF · Himalayas · Uttarakhand

DRP 110825: Non-Implementation of NDMA’s 2020 GLOF Guidelines Worsened Dharali Disaster

August 11, 2025 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Mud, debris following flashfloods at Dharali)

The following Indian Express report highlights some key aspects of the Oct 2020 guidelines from the National Disaster Management Authority related to disasters caused by Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF). Unfortunately, as is clear from the recent Dharali disaster most key aspects of the guidelines remain unimplemented almost five years after the Guidelines were published. Had they been implemented with any seriousness, the proportions of the Dharali disaster would have been significantly reduced.

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Climate Change · Disasters

Dharali Disaster in Uttarakhand: Amplified by Human Causes

August 9, 2025August 19, 2025 SANDRP1 Comment

The frightening debris-laden flash flood disaster at Dharali town along Kheer Gad-Bhagirathi river just 20 km downstream of Gangotri at around 1.30 pm on Tuesday, Aug 5 has demolished over 40 buildings, with scores (68 as on Aug 13 as per the Dehradun-based State Emergency Operation Centre) of people, including nine army jawans, reported missing (the numbers could go up as per several geologists) and at least five dead. The ground zero is still largely inaccessible four days after the disaster. While the full details of what caused the disaster are still a bit uncertain, what is clear is that the warning signs were present, they were ignored and a number of human causes amplified the proportions of the disaster. The scene of the disaster was similar to what we saw in Chamoli in Feb 2021 when ice and debris laden stream destroyed two hydropower projects killed over a hundred people.

As geologists said, the disaster was waiting to happen, but our governance did not seem to know.

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Climate Change · Cloud Burst · Disasters · Floods · Himalayas · Monsoon

Aug 2025: Five Road Workers Missing After Flashfloods in Pauri-Uttarakhand

August 8, 2025August 8, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Search Operation on Aug 07, 2025 in Katola gaad of Bankura village in Chauthan Patti, Thaisain, Pauri. Source: Uttarakhand Police)

The Chauthan Patti under Thailisain block of Pauri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand has again been battered by excessive rainfall events on August 06 2025. Villagers have reported of 3 incidents of ‘cloudburst’ induced flashflood causing severe damages in Bankura, Mansari and Sarson villages.

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Climate Change · Dams · Rivers

DRP 040825: Arunachal Activists urge Centre to find dimensions of China’s Medog Dam

August 4, 2025August 4, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Aerial view of the Yarlung Tsangpo’s Great Bend, Medog County)

Arunachal and other Himalayan states activists in a press conference in Delhi have rightly urged the Union Government to publicly demand from China all the features and dimensions of the Medog Dam on Yarlung Tsangpo river, their impact assessments and share the same promptly in public domain before even considering any project like the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). This is important since without knowing the features, dimensions, operating procedures and impact assessments, all the projections being made about the possible impacts of the projects are completely speculative and unfounded.

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Alaknanda · Climate Change · Hydro Disaster · Landslide

Aug 2025: Rockslide at Vishnugad-Pipalkoti in Uttarakhand

August 4, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Rockslide at dam site of 444 Mw Vishnugad-Pipalkoti HEP on Aug 02, 2025)

At least 12 workers sustained injuries in a rockslide at the under construction Vsihnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro-Electric Power (VPHEP) project in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The 444 Mw (111X4) project is being built on Alaknanda River by the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC).

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