Frequent mass wasting in Tibet a cause for worry in India 

Why in the News?

A recent study on frequent mass wasting in Sedongpu Gully and rapid warming raises concerns for India’s Northeast region.

Mass Wasting in the Gully: Stats and Reasons

• Since 2017, over 700 million cubic meters of debris have been mobilized in the Sedongpu Gully catchment, with more than 68% of the total 19 identified mass-wasting events occurring in this period.
  • The events include ice-rock avalanches (IRAs), ice-moraine avalanches (IMAs), and glacier debris flows (GDFs).
• Causes: The increased frequency of mass wasting is attributed to a combination of long-term warming and seismic activity.
  • The area rarely experienced temperatures above 0º C before 2012, but climate change has led to significant warming, destabilizing permafrost and increasing landslide activity.
  • The 6.4-magnitude Nyingchi earthquake in November 2017 also contributed to the destabilization of slopes.

Implications of sedimentation from mass wasting events:

• River Choking and Flash Floods: The study warns that the increased sedimentation from mass wasting events could choke river channels, particularly affecting the Brahmaputra River system. 
• Hydropower Projects: China is planning to construct a massive 60-gigawatt hydropower project on the Tsangpo River, which could exacerbate sedimentation issues downstream.
  • This project is expected to have three times the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam, raising concerns about river management and flood risks in India and Bangladesh.
• Historical Flood Events: Past incidents, like the 2000 floods in Arunachal Pradesh caused by landslides blocking the Tsangpo River, show how dangerous landslides can be for areas downstream.
  • The chance of similar disasters is higher now because of the ongoing geological instability in the Sedongpu Gully.

Way forward: 

• Bilateral and Multilateral Dialogues: India should intensify diplomatic efforts with China, advocating for shared water management strategies and transparency in hydropower projects on the Tsangpo River.
• Real-Time Monitoring: Establish advanced real-time monitoring systems for the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries, using satellite imagery, remote sensing, and ground-based observations to track landslides, sedimentation, and water flow.

Mains question for practice:

Q Discuss the potential risks posed by the increasing frequency of mass wasting events in the Sedongpu Gully and the implications for India’s Northeast region. (150 words) 10M