Due to heavy and continuous rainfall in the Alaknanda valley, the swollen river had eroded the toe of the slope. Already saturated debris material with diminishing shear strength failed because of this.   

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_ 008
Near Ghat village.
Removal of overhangs, retaining wall, boulder crate wall, slope dressing, breast wall with weep holes.
Heavy precipitation, toe cutting by Alakananda River, saturation of overburden mass leading to reduction in shear strength.