The slide appears to have been initiated by toe cutting by the Alaknada river which resulted in subsidence and sliding of a paleo slide. During heavy rainfall the overburden material got saturated leading to reduction of shear strength. Further, surface
An Interim Report on Preliminary  Geological  Slope Stability Assessment of the Recent Disaster Affected Areas in Parts of Chamoli District, Uttarakhand by Bhupendra Singh, Bhupender Singh, Ajay Kumar and Arindam Roy, Senior Geologists, M-IV, NR GSI Dehr
UK_CHA_NH_ 037
At Km 409
Concrete toe wall on left bank of Laknanda River, diversion of surface run off, breast wall with weep holes, lined drains, improvement of drainage network.
Heavy rainfall in the area for 3-4 days caused sturation and reduction in strength of slope material, there was additional factor like toe cutting by the Alaknanda River.