• Three major earthquakes originated in the Himalaya since the end of the 19th century.
  • Swiss geologists Arnold Heim and Augusto Gansser provided a first order geological perspective of the region.
  • They identified three major fracture zones sloping northward towards Tibet.
  • Fractures in the earth are preceded by small, early warning slips.
  • Development and environmental safety are not mutually exclusive.
  • Availability of transparent details and testing protocols is key to ensure integrity of resilience-building measures.
  • Joshimath disaster is a result of resilience-indifferent culture of planning and development.
  • The region is already stressed close to the breaking point.
  • All new structures must be designed with safety factors predicated for the calculated hazard intensity.
  • Balanced growth and ecological integrity must be followed by limiting tourist arrivals.