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We express our grief and utmost anguish for the lives lost in the tragic event that occurred in Chamoli Uttarakhand. We hear that hundreds are missing and several feared dead. We are also aware that there is no clear statement from the government or any other State agency about the exact event that triggered the massive flood. However, considering the location and context of the event conjectures are that this could have been an avalanche or landslide and/or a glacial lake burst of some sort. The high altitudes of the Himalayas have been known, for time immemorial for the harsh conditions of the climate and floods. But in recent decades, these ecologically and geologically fragile and sensitive terrains have become even more vulnerable due to rapidly changing climatic patterns.
Let us acknowledge that these climatic changes, be it erratic rainfall or deglaciation due to increased
