The debris accumulated at the mouth of Telegad, which devastated the Harsil military camp and helipad, continues to pose a major threat. Experts warn that the situation resembles the long-developing disaster of Kheer Ganga, where land erosion in nearby bugyals had been occurring for the past seven to eight years. This year’s unusually heavy rainfall turned that gradual erosion into a destructive force, leading to the August 5 disaster in Dharali whose scars may never fade. Following 2019, continuous landslides at the mouth of Kheer Ganga caused debris build-up, eventually unleashing devastating floods.
Telegad’s surge also caused heavy damage to the army’s facilities, though its fury later subsided. However, fresh danger remains as images from Telegad’s mouth show large debris deposits on the hillside, capable of triggering another disaster. The point where Telegad meets the Bhagirathi River is narrow, raising the risk that incoming debris and water could again form a temporary lake.
Above Dharali, at Kheer Ganga, the debris had been accumulating since 2019 due to landslides, worsened by excessive rainfall and continuous glacial melt over the last seven to eight years. Senior geoscientist Prof. Y.P. Sundriyal cautioned that debris or encroachment at a river’s mouth can become a major hazard in the future, noting that upper-region glaciers are increasingly vulnerable.
