Floods of Ladakh::A geological phenomenon...DR RTESH ARYA

Subject: Floods of Ladakh::A geological phenomenon...DR RTESH ARYA

Floods in the zero hours of 6th August 2010 in and around Leh town was more a geological phenomenon and the devastation caused was the result of MAN MADE construction in the geologically unfavorable environment


The theory of cloud burst does not exists............?????

Heavy rain coupled with simple landslides which blocked the main channels to form a wall actually resulted in the formation of wall resulting in the formation of water reservoir. This wall ruptured on 6th August causing the floods in Leh. The devastation was so strong that 12-15 feet debris was deposited in less then 5 minutes and people were sinking in this thick mud debris in Choglamsar .

The impact could have been minimum if the paleo channel of the streams channels not blocked by the habitation.

Traditional wisdom of the ancestors does play important role is identifying the boundaries of the floods plains and Manay walls constructed more then 500 years ago prevented the habitations from these floods. But the geologiclal significance of these walls was lost in course of time and religious importance made these  thick walls week in due course of time. Much of devastation in effected areas was prevented where the MANAY  walls were intact

The case study of Shakhsi linpo Nala/stream and Sabo conducted by Dr Ritesh Arya with his French students Marion and Erwan clearly establishes the phenomenon to be geological in nature INDUCED due to blockage of the ancient glacio fluvial channels  by landslides. This  resulted in formation of reservoir which ruptured causing flash floods in its original course and destroying the habitations which were constructed on the glacio fluvial channel. This actually caused the havoc and devastation on 6th August 2010 which resulted in more 200 deaths and majority missing besides resulting in loss of property which fell on these ancient channels.

PROCESS WAS NATURAL BUT THE DEVASTATION WAS DUE TO MAN MADE ACTIVITIES which ignored the simple geological processes FOR BUILDING HABITATIONS

No evidence of phenomenon like cloud burst was formed when the tops of Sabu and Skampari Nala were scaled by Dr Arya and his team.