Dam failures are always catastrophic, especially on the downstream side, resulting in a colossal loss of life and property. Analyze the various causes of dam failures. Give two examples of large dam failures.
Dam failures are indeed devastating events, and their causes can be broadly categorized into three types.
Hydrological failures are the most common, occurring when the spillway capacity is insufficient to handle extreme floodwaters, leading to the overtopping of the dam. This erodes the dam structure, causing a breach.
Structural failures result from flaws in the dam's design, construction, or materials. This includes foundation issues like seepage, cracking due to pressure or temperature changes, and use of poor-quality construction materials that degrade over time.
Human or operational failures involve poor maintenance, incorrect operation of gates during floods, and a lack of monitoring or timely intervention.
A tragic Indian example is the Machchhu dam failure in Morbi, Gujarat, in 1979, caused by excessive rainfall and massive flooding that overwhelmed the dam’s capacity. Globally, the Banqiao Dam failure in China in 1975, following an extraordinary typhoon, is a stark example of a hydrological failure combined with cascading breaches, resulting in catastrophic loss of life.
Answered By:
Sarvesh Jha
Sarvesh Jha is a seasoned government exam mentor with firsthand success in top exams like IBPS PO, SBI PO, CDS, RRB JE, SSC CGL, BPSC, and CTET. Known for his deep conceptual clarity and strategic approach, he has guided over 5000 students through personalized mentorship. He has been creating well researched content for last 5 years.
Similar Questions
Examine the pattern and trend of public expenditure on social services in the post-reforms period in India. To what extent this has been in consonance with achieving the objective of inclusive growth?
What are the causes of persistent high food inflation in India? Comment on the effectiveness of the monetary policy of the RBI to control this type of inflation.
Explain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India.
What is the present world scenario of intellectual property rights with respect to life materials? Although, India is second in the world to file patents, still only a few have been commercialized. Explain the reasons behind this less commercialization.
What were the factors responsible for the successful implementation of land reforms in some parts of the country? Elaborate.
What is the technology being employed for electronic toll collection on highways? What are its advantages and limitations? What are the proposed changes that will make this process seamless? Would this transition carry any potential hazards?
Industrial pollution of river water is a significant environmental issue in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government's initiatives in this regard.
Explain how narco-terrorism has emerged as a serious threat across the country. Suggest suitable measures to counter narco-terrorism.
What role do environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outcomes for major projects in India? Cite four examples with all important details.
What is the need for expanding the regional air connectivity in India? In this context, discuss the government's UDAN Scheme and its achievements.
Important Questions from GS3
Examine the pattern and trend of public expenditure on social services in the post-reforms period in India. To what extent this has been in consonance with achieving the objective of inclusive growth?
What are the causes of persistent high food inflation in India? Comment on the effectiveness of the monetary policy of the RBI to control this type of inflation.
Explain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India.
What is the present world scenario of intellectual property rights with respect to life materials? Although, India is second in the world to file patents, still only a few have been commercialized. Explain the reasons behind this less commercialization.
What were the factors responsible for the successful implementation of land reforms in some parts of the country? Elaborate.
