A study on nivation area of Srikanta Glacier

A new scientific study has linked the August 5, 2025 flash flood that devastated Dharali village in Uttarakhand to the collapse of an ice patch on a Himalayan glacier, highlighting emerging cryo-hydrological hazards caused by deglaciation.

The study, titled “Ice-patch collapse and early-warning implications from a Himalayan flash flood: emerging cryo-hydrological hazards under deglaciation,” was conducted by scientists from the ISRO and published in the journal NPJ Natural Hazards.

Key Findings

• The flash flood that destroyed Dharali village and killed six people was triggered by the collapse of an ice patch in the nivation zone of the glacier above the village.
• The study examined the ridge-to-valley system from the glacier to the settlement, covering the stretch from Srikanta Glacier to Dharali along the Bhagirathi River.
• Dharali lies at an altitude of about 2,650–2,700 metres, while Srikanta Glacier rises to about 6,133 metres and is located roughly 9.8 km upstream of the village.

Role of Nivation

The collapse occurred in the nivation area of the glacier. The nivation zone is a high-elevation environment characterized by persistent snow patches, buried ice, and periglacial processes that progressively erode and destabilize surrounding slopes Over time. this process forms nivation hollows, which deepen as snow repeatedly accumulates in the same location.

Deglaciation and Warning Signals

The researchers observed that exposed ice patches on Srikanta Glacier before the flood were a visible sign of ongoing deglaciation in the Himalaya. These exposed areas increased the likelihood of ice-patch collapse and subsequent flash floods.

Source: NATURE