Landslide zone active in Uttarkashi’s Varunavat mountain after over 2 decades; 200 people evacuated following heavy rockfall

DEHRADUN/UTTARKASHI: Over 200 residents living in the foothills of Varunavat Parvat, which overlooks Uttarkashi town, were evacuated on Tuesday night after boulders and debris began falling from the mountain.
The landslide, which continued until Wednesday morning, revived memories of a series of landslides in 2003 when over 3,000 people were evacuated, and around 100 buildings in the hill town were damaged.
No lives were lost in the recent landslide, but several two-wheelers were buried under debris in the Gufiyara area.

The district disaster management authority (DDMA) said a municipal council team was on the spot with a JCB to clear the debris, and a multi-departmental team, along with the NDRF, had been dispatched for a physical investigation.
Subhash Kumai (43), a resident, who had witnessed the 2003 landslides, said, "Our house was partially damaged, and we had to live with relatives for months back then. The monsoon caused rivulets to flood, leading to erosion in the mountain. As soon as the rain stopped and temperatures rose in Sept, landslides began and continued for several weeks."
He added that the latest incident reminded him of the 2003 rockfall. "When we heard the loud noise of rushing water and falling rocks, our entire family rushed out of the house to a safe location. Amid the chaos, we couldn't sleep all night, praying no major mishap would occur."
Alendra Bisht (76), another resident, added, "Although we were among the lucky ones who didn't suffer any loss in 2003, the fear still lingers in our minds. The rockfall this time has exposed the green cover, making the mountain more susceptible to landslides. The administration should take protective steps to treat this area and construct safety walls on both sides of the rivulet to prevent water and debris from entering nearby houses."
Uttarkashi district magistrate (DM) Meharban Singh Bisht said he had formed a technical committee, including the sub-divisional magistrate of Bhatwari, a geologist from the district task force and officials from the public works department (PWD), irrigation department, forest department, SDRF, DDMA, and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), to survey the affected area. The committee submitted a preliminary report to Bisht on Wednesday.
District disaster management officer Devendra Patwal said, "Aside from a few vehicles getting buried, there was no serious damage. However, given Varunavat's history, the administration is taking all possible measures to prevent a major incident."
Notably, after the 2003 landslides, the Union govt had announced a Rs 282-crore package for treating Varunavat. Consequently, corrective measures, including slope stabilisation, crack sealing, and drainage system development were done to increase the mountain's shear strength.