Dangers of India’s mountain roads: Falling boulders to flash floods [Video]
Driving in the mountains can be extremely fun for enthusiasts. The winding roads of the mountains give ample opportunities for the adrenaline flow for the people who love driving. However, mountain driving can be extremely dangerous and there are unforeseen things that can make the driving experience a nightmare. Here is one such video that shows how dangerous it can be driving on the mountain roads in India.
The video is from Himachal Pradesh and shows a landslide very closely. The video has been taken by a passenger of a bus which stopped after seeing the ongoing landslide. The video shows a few small stones falling down from the side of the mountain followed by a huge boulder that slid from its place and came down speeding on towards the road. The huge boulder can be seen falling in the ridge and it would have been disastrous if a vehicle was passing at that point.
Such landslides become very common in the Himalayan region during the monsoons. As the Himalayan range is still very young, such landslides are very common, especially when it rains heavily. One can get caught in such landslides if not being attentive towards the road. Landslides always start with small stones falling first followed by bigger chunks of dirt, stones and rocks falling. One should keep an eye on the road to see signs of possible landslides. It becomes quite difficult at night to spot such landslides.
Mountain roads throw various challenges to the road users. If driving in cold conditions, black ice can quickly form on the road that can cause the vehicles to slip. Black ice is crystalised form of water that form soon after the sunset. They make the road look like a wet surface and are difficult to spot. They can be extremely dangerous to any kind of vehicle, especially if driving at a high speed. It is always important to slow down and drive carefully when a wet surface is spotted, especially after the sunset.
Flash floods are also one of the major dangers in the mountains but they do not happen as often. Most mountain roads also serve as drainage for the places situated at a higher altitude and if it remains extremely heavily, the water can flow down on the roads sweeping the vehicles. However, it happens very rarely.
There are many dangers of mountain driving but one if one is more careful while driving, it can turn out to be an experience of a lifetime. Mountain driving needs much more concentration and one of the first and foremost rules is to drive in your own lane. Most mountain roads are undivided and new drivers often sway into the opposite lane while driving and it can cause massive accidents. Also, one needs to take care while overtaking. Overtaking on the blind corners can cause massive accidents.
Written By – Shantonil Nag (Cartoq).