The most severe rainfall event ever recorded in Nepal impacted about 2.6 million people, causing losses of US$370 million and about 270 lives. Between 26 and 28 September 2024, a devastating late monsoon rainfall event in Nepal triggered hundreds of landslides. In landslide terms, this was the most serious event recorded in Nepal outside of […]
Himalayas
Posted inResearch Spotlights
地震如何改变湖泊微生物群落
提示：地震发生后，湖泊的地质、化学和生物成分会重新配置。一项新的研究深入探讨了地震变化对喜马拉雅地区措普湖的影响。
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
The possible causes of the Dharali (Tharali) debris flow in Uttarakhand, India
A possible cause of the 5 August 2025 landslide is the failure of a large body of glacial material high in the valley above the village. The imagery that is emerging after the 5 August 2025 debris flow in Dharali (Tharali), in Uttarakhand, northern India make very somber viewing. Melaine Le Roy posted this comparison […]
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
A very initial perspective on the 5 August 2025 debris flow at Tharali / Dharali in northern India
A massive landslide has destroyed a remote Himalayan village. Fifty or more people may have died. Astonishing and terrifying footage has appeared today of a dreadful debris flow that struck the village of Tharali (also called Dharali in some places) in Uttarakhand today. The video has been widely shared on social media. This is a […]
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Earthquakes Shake Up Microbial Lake Communities
After an earthquake, a lake’s geological, chemical, and biological components get reconfigured. A new study dives into the effects of seismic shifts on the Himalayas’ Lake Cuopu.
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Movement of the Joshimath landslide in India
A new paper (Dalal et al. 2025) in the journal Engineering Geology examines movement of a major landslide complex in India. It shows that the slope reactivated in 2018, probably as a result of the loss of vegetation and poor management of water. Loyal readers will remember a series of posts that I made back […]
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
The 8 July 2025 catastrophic flood at Rasuwagadhi in Nepal
Yesterday, catastrophic flood swept down the Bhote Kosi river through Tibet and Nepal. At least 28 people have been killed. There is speculation that this might have been a GLOF. On 8 July 2025, a catastrophic mudslide / flood suddenly struck the Rasuwagadhi border crossing point between Tibet and Nepal, causing extensive damage. The Himalayan […]
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
The 1 June 2025 landslides at Chaten in Sikkim, India
Nine people have been killed in a series of landslides, triggered by heavy rainfall, that have struck an army camp. At about 7 pm local time on 1st June 2025, a series of landslides struck an army camp at Chaten in the Lachen District of Sikkim in India. It is believed that nine people have […]
Posted inThe Landslide Blog
Geological complexity as a way to understand the distribution of landslides
The Landslide Blog is written by Dave Petley, who is widely recognized as a world leader in the study and management of landslides. Over the course of my career, I have read many papers (and indeed, written a few) that have tried to explain the distribution of landslides based upon combinations of factors that we […]
Posted inOpinions
Beyond Majesty and Myths: Facing the Realities of Mountainside Development
Expansive construction in fragile mountain environments is often pursued without adequate consideration of heightened hazards and local concerns, putting people and infrastructure at greater risk.