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The sediment-water transmit from glaciers, snow fields and river-system, and many other
resources have made the Himalaya a centre stage for habitation, agro-economic growth and
socio-cultural development. However, the Himalaya is stressed by several factors such as natural
processes, environmental degradation, anthropogenic activities, and more intensely by the
climate-induced extreme events. All these have played role in changing the geomorphology and
landscape of the Himalaya, which, in turn, control the damage pattern during a disaster. The
frequency and intensity of landslides or flash floods or avalanches or debris flow or glacial lake
outburst flood (GLOF) have been increased under the influence of climate-change scenario. The
impact of disasters can definitely be reduced by (i) identifying the most vulnerable zones based
on satellite and ground-based data; (ii) designing and executing appropriate buildings code and
mountain-specific guidelines; (iii) development of Integrated Early Warning Systems (IEWS) by
deploying related web-based sensors in the field, real-time transmission of data to the lab,
processing/analysis of such data using advanced algorithms; and (iv) dissemination of gained
knowledge or information through an alert system well before the tragedy takes place. With
dense network of high-resolution sensors, availability of fast computing machines, innovative
approaches, and integration of multiple data sets using AI/ML, it is possible to achieve the goals
of disaster risk reduction plus mitigation of climate-change at local level through exploration and
exploitation of green energy like geothermal resources and development of solar-geothermal
hybrid technology for electricity generation. We shall discuss the causes and consequences of
different kinds of geo-hazards related to the climate changes, and provide way-forward for their
plausible mitigation with examples and special reference to the Uttarakhand Himalaya with a
view to build disaster-resilient and climate-adaptable sustainability and secured living in the
Himalaya and adjoining regions. |