An avalanche struck Lahaul's Tandi Bridge in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, partially burying a shop under snow, but fortunately, there were no casualties or major property losses
Avalanches are common in the northern parts of India, especially during the winter season, highlighting the region's vulnerability to such natural disasters
An avalanche occurs when a large section of snow on a mountain slope breaks away and descends rapidly, often triggered by heavy snowfall, weakening of the snowpack, or earthquakes
Human activities, such as winter sports and other actions that put pressure on snowy slopes, can also instigate avalanches
Warm temperatures during the day weaken the upper layers of snow on mountains, making them prone to sliding off at high speeds and causing avalanches
The accumulation of multiple layers of snow, with fresh snow falling on older, large ice slabs, can lead to avalanches due to the unstable grip between the layers
Heavy snowstorms and strong winds blowing across mountain slopes can disturb the stability of snow layers, triggering avalanches
Machinery and human activities at the base of mountains can produce vibrations that contribute to the destabilization of snowpacks, leading to their rapid descent
The gravitational force aids the downward movement of snow dislodged by natural causes or human activities