Cloudbursts, landslides, and floods: Why Uttarakhand’s fragile Himalayas are breaking under pressure

In Uttarakhand, beauty and tragedy coexist. The snow-fed rivers, sacred shrines, and majestic mountains that draw pilgrims and tourists also unleash floods, landslides, and devastation, exposing how fragile this paradise has become.

The recent cloudburst in Dharali, Uttarkashi, which destroyed dozens of homes and left people missing, is only the latest in a series of “unnatural” disasters. From Kedarnath in 2013 to Joshimath’s sinking ground in 2023, the pattern is painfully clear: unchecked construction, deforestation, and overexploitation of fragile ecosystems are pushing the Himalayas to their breaking point. As tourists flock in record numbers and roadways cut deeper into mountains, local communities are left more vulnerable than ever. The story of Uttarakhand is no longer just about nature’s fury—it is about the choices we make, and the cost of ignoring the warnings etched into the land itself.

This is not the first disaster to strike Uttarakhand. Dharali is not an exception. From Kedarnath in 2013, to Chamoli in 2021, and Joshimath in 2023, Uttarakhand’s story has been one of recurring disasters, catastrophes deepened not just by nature’s fury but by choices made in the name of development. Such incidents have been occurring repeatedly in the state over the past several years.

A pattern of “unnatural” disasters

In 2013, Kedarnath’s floods claimed thousands of lives and left lakhs of pilgrims stranded. Thousands of locals lost their homes too. Later in 2021, flash floods triggered by glacial melting and landslides in Chamoli claimed the lives of 200 people. In January 2023, around 900 houses in Joshimath began sinking into the ground. An ISRO satellite report has highlighted that Joshimath sank over 5 centimeters in just 13 days between December 27 , 2022 and January 8, 2023. Apart from these major incidents, many smaller disasters continue to occur every year.

After the Kedarnath tragedy in 2013, both local residents and environmental experts emphasised that any construction activity in Uttarakhand should first undergo geological assessment. Unfortunately, in the name of economic development, unchecked construction continues in this hilly state.

Tourism and development pressures

The major reasons behind the increasing number of disasters in Uttarakhand include indiscriminate deforestation, rapid urbanisation, the Char Dham road project, hydroelectric projects, tunnels being constructed by blasting mountains with explosives, altered river and stream flow patterns, ropeways, and helipads. Cities such as Mussoorie, Ranikhet, Nainital, Almora, and Joshimath have witnessed rapid development. The fast-paced development of these cities is linked to their natural beauty, which attracts large numbers of tourists.

Moreover, the sacred Hindu Char Dham shrines, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath, are also located in this state. Alongside these, Rishikesh, Haridwar, and the famous Sikh pilgrimage site Hemkund Sahib are also situated here. The state government has started commercially exploiting the combination of natural beauty and religious tourism in the name of economic growth. Four-lane roads are being constructed to connect these places with each other. As a result, the number of tourists and pilgrims has been rapidly increasing every year. From 1.11 crore (11.13 million) tourists in 2000, the number rose to 5.96 crore (59.6 million) in 2023.

Fragile mountains, fragile futures

The use of explosives to deforest and blast mountains has further de-stabilised the region. During the monsoon season, these barren and weakened slopes begin to slide due to the inability to maintain their natural balance. According to an ISRO report, Uttarakhand witnessed 11,219 incidents of landslides between 1988 and 2022.

A report by the Geological Survey of India states that 39,000 square kilometers (72 per cent) of Uttarakhand is prone to landslides. In such sensitive areas, any form of construction—be it roads, tunnels, buildings, or large projects—can lead to catastrophic outcomes. In 2023, a section of the Silkyara-Barkot tunnel on the Uttarkashi-Yamunotri road collapsed, trapping 41 labourers who were rescued only after 17 days of intensive efforts.

Key measures for mountain-safe development

If Uttarakhand is to survive, development must be redesigned for the mountains. Most importantly, centre the voices of mountain communities. They know the rhythms of the land and carry traditional knowledge that can guide safer development.

• Consult experts first: No project in fragile Himalayan zones should proceed without geological and environmental assessments, alongside inputs from local communities.

• Limit road widths: Mountain roads should be restricted to 8–10 meters, as in many European countries, to maintain slope stability and ecological balance.

• Respect mountain realities: Development models suited to the plains must not be imposed on hilly states. Plans should be based on local geography and ground realities.

• Protect rivers: Any dam or hydro project must safeguard the natural flow and ecological integrity of rivers.

• Enforce legal safeguards: Strict restrictions on construction in river basins and floodplains are needed to prevent future disasters and protect both people and ecosystems.

Learning before it’s too late

Uttarakhand is a warning. Its rivers, forests, and mountains are not just tourist backdrops or energy resources, they are living systems on which millions depend. Every tunnel blasted, every forest cleared, every river dammed pushes the Himalayas closer to collapse.

The Dharali cloudburst is not an isolated tragedy,  it is a symptom of deeper neglect. If India continues to treat the fragile Himalayas as plains for highways and dams, the disasters will only grow.

Uttarakhand’s survival depends on learning that development in the mountains cannot copy the plains. Unless ecological limits are respected, disasters will no longer be natural. They will be man-made.

The question is no longer whether cloudbursts or landslides will come—they will. The real question is whether we choose to respect the limits of these mountains, or keep repeating mistakes until there is nothing left to save.