Salun village, perched roughly 50 feet above the Ravi River, had its moment of fame on the 26th August 2025 — a moment that also became its last. On the dark, rainy afternoon, the small village with homes, rajma fields, apple orchards and cattle sheds collapsed into the flooded River Ravi like a house of cards. In a matter of 30 minutes, ancestral homes with warm hearths, blankets for the coming winter, old report cards and wedding albums, adhar cards and bankbooks-entire archives of living-were erased. Villagers, who managed to escape in time stood in awe and saw their village going extinct before their eyes.
Continue reading “The Day Salun Village Fell: Impacts of Cascading Hydropower Projects in the Ravi Basin”Tag: Ravi
2025: Dam Induced Flood Incidents in India
(Feature Image: Locals assist in moving flood affected people to a safer place as floodwater enters villages in Ajnala, near Amritsar. Source)
India has witnessed several incidents of dam induced floods during south west monsoon 2025. The most remarkable and devastating episode unfolded in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh states in August 2025 largely due to mismanagement of Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams by BBMB. While negligence of BBMB has invited FIRs in Himachal Pradesh, warnings by Punjab govt and petition in NGT, there is no report in public domain suggesting the authority taking any credible action to make its dam operation scientific and accountable after the disaster.
Continue reading “2025: Dam Induced Flood Incidents in India”
Rivers Crossing the Highest Flood Levels in Aug 2025
In the third month of South West Monsoon season 2025, we have been able to track at least 23 flood monitoring sites of the Central Water Commission (CWC) where the respective rivers have crossed their Highest Flood Level (HFL). These 23 sites are spread over 5 river basins -11 sites in Ganga basin, 9 sites in Indus basin & 1 each in Mahi, Godavari and Krishna basins.
Continue reading “Rivers Crossing the Highest Flood Levels in Aug 2025”
Punjab Floods 2025: Role of Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar Dams
Every dam can potentially help moderate floods to some extent in the downstream area. This is possible only when the dam is operated with that objective in mind. However, when the dam is NOT operated with that objective and is filled up as soon as there is water available, the same dam can in fact bring avoidable flood disaster in the downstream area.
This is exactly what has happened in Punjab ONCE AGAIN during the 2025 SW Monsoon. This has happened on numerous occasions in the past including in 1978, 1988 and 2023, for example.
Continue reading “Punjab Floods 2025: Role of Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar Dams”
Vulnerable Nallahs in the Himalayas Need Urgent Attention
“When Jahlma Nallah starts roaring, we cannot sleep. It has been flooding for the past three years at least” said octogenarian Devi Singhji in October 2024. Jahlma Nallah, which joins the Chenab and blocks it occasionally, flooded again catastrophically in the monsoon of 2025.
Continue reading “Vulnerable Nallahs in the Himalayas Need Urgent Attention”
Himachal Pradesh: Why CWC’s Forecasting is Unavailable Amidst Flood Disaster?
(Feature Image: Screenshot of inactive hydrograph for Solang station on Beas river in Mandi district. Source: CWC Flood Forecast website)
Despite disastrous flood events causing significant destruction to human lives and infrastructures for past three years, the state of Himachal Pradesh has not seen much required improvements in flood monitoring and forecast servicesby the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) to help minimize the destruction toll.
Continue reading “Himachal Pradesh: Why CWC’s Forecasting is Unavailable Amidst Flood Disaster?”
Himachal Pradesh: ‘Cloudburst’ Incidents in SW Monsoon 2024
(Feature Image: Cloudburst ravaged Bagipul area along Kurpan khad in Kullu district. in Aug. 2024. Source: Aaj Tak)
We have been able to identify 27 reported incidents of ‘cloudburst’ in Himachal Pradesh during the SW monsoon 2024. A table with some basic information about these incidents can be seen here.
The ‘cloudburst’ incidents have been reported from all geographical areas of the state spanning 8 districts throughout the season beginning with May 12 in Gharshu village of Kinnaur to September 26 from Paonta Sahib area of Sirmaur. The maximum 18 of these incidents have occurred in areas close to glaciers or snow-clad mountains followed by 5 in middle segment of Himalaya and 4 in Shivalik range of the state.
Continue reading “Himachal Pradesh: ‘Cloudburst’ Incidents in SW Monsoon 2024”
2023: EAC & FAC Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects
(Feature Image: Yamuna river deprived of e-flows downstream 120 Mw Vyasi HEP dam in Dehradun, Uttarakhand in June 2023. Bhim Singh Rawat/SANDRP)
This annual overview examines minutes of meetings held by Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydropower Projects between 15 December 2022 and 24 November 2023 for consideration of Dams, Hydroelectric Power (HEP), Pumped Storage Hydro Projects (PSP) and Irrigation related proposals seeking Terms of Reference (TOR) and Environment Clearance (EC) approvals. The report further analysis various water projects related proposals considered by the Forest Appraisal Committee (FAC) between 27 December 2022 and 18 December 2023 for Forest Clearances (FC).
Continue reading “2023: EAC & FAC Decisions on Dams, Hydro, Irrigation Projects”
Himachal Pradesh 2023: How we are turning ‘Cloudbursts’ into Deadly Disasters
(Feature Image: Primary School Building in Kuklah, Mandi buried under ‘cloudburst’ induced flashflood debris. Source: ETV Bharat)
In South West Monsoon season 2023, the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh has witnessed several ‘cloudburst’ incidents adding to the death tolls and infrastructural destruction on account of excessive rains, landslides and flash floods. SANDRP has compiled a detailed report on the subject here and this account highlights the summary of the report. Our previous analysis on ‘cloudburst’ incident in Himachal Pradesh state can be seen here 2022 (39 incidents); 2021(30 incidents); 2020 (3 incidents); 2019 (16 incidents); 2018 (21 incidents).
Continue reading “Himachal Pradesh 2023: How we are turning ‘Cloudbursts’ into Deadly Disasters”
J&K & Ladakh Cloud Bursts 2022: Missing Monitoring & Mitigation
(Feature Image: Cloudburst triggers flashfloods; 13 structures washed away, 20 damaged in Doda. Photo PTI/The Telegraph, 20.07.2022)
Tracking cloud burst incidents occurring before and during South West Monsoon season 2022 in North West Himalayan region, this report covers the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh. Kindly see the links for SANDRP’s reports covering the Uttarakhand (31 cloud burst incidents) and Himachal Pradesh (39 cloud burst incidents) in 2022. Our previous reports for J&K and Ladakh region can be seen here 2021, 2020, 2019.
Continue reading “J&K & Ladakh Cloud Bursts 2022: Missing Monitoring & Mitigation”
SANDRP 