The Alaknanda River is located in northern India, and in 2021, the river was part of a massive flood that killed several people in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
The sudden flooding destroyed bridges, homes, and two hydroelectric power plants.
Early reports suggested that the flooding was caused by a glacial collapse or avalanche in the Himalayan mountains.
Later on, scientists revealed that a large crack appeared on one of the high peaks over the prior months.
At some point, the crack grew large enough to destabilize rock and ice, which caused the rock and ice to fall about a mile before hitting the valley floor.
According to scientists, the energy from the falling material could have flash-melted the surface.
This would have generated more water and flow rushing towards populated areas. The volume would have increased as the landslide rushed down the mountain.
Experts believe that glacial lake floods will continue to be a problem for high-altitude communities in the Himalayas.
But some of the villagers affected by the flood have a different theory…
They blame the CIA.
Locals told the media that the floodwaters and debris were accompanied by a bad smell.
This led people to draw connections to a mountain expedition to Nanda Devi, the tallest peak in India.
The story goes, in 1965 the CIA teamed up with the Indian military to install a nuclear-powered surveillance system on top of the peak. The goal was to watch China.
But the expedition team ran into a snowstorm on the mountain and turned back.
Before doing so, they stashed a plutonium-powered device in a crevice where it could be picked up later.
However, it’s believed the nuke fell down the mountain and has never been found, and villagers believe that the device may be active and cause the snow and ice to melt.
One local said, “If the device is buried under the snow somewhere in the area and is radiating heat, then, of course, there would be more melting of snow and further avalanches.”
But one member of the 1965 expedition said the device is unlikely to emit heat without being activated. He also claimed it is missing components to be operational.
So, this leaves local authorities to keep their eyes on the mountain, and the next event to bring flooding.
There’s an important survival lesson in this story…
It’s that, no matter where you live, you should be prepared for flooding. From a nearby river to a broken water pipe it can happen to anyone.
And if flooding occurs you need to be prepared to protect your valuables, including your guns.
Most of us spend a lifetime building up a collection of firearms, and the last thing you want is to lose those firearms during a flood.
So, here are a few ideas to help you protect your firearms from water.
Know what you have:
First things first. Know exactly what you have. You should document every single gun in your possession.
This should include a photo of each gun, along with the manufacturer, model, caliber, and serial number.
Pistols:
For most people, the point of owning firearms is for self-defense, so they want to be able to access them quickly.
This is why keeping them in a waterproof container is not always the best option. But, if you know of an impending flood or storm it’s better to be prepared.
One way you can do this is to keep your pistols in a plastic, vacuum-sealed bag.
Inside the bag keep a card with your personal information. So, if anyone finds it they can return it.
Of course, keep at least one gun ready and out of the plastic in case you need to use it.
Once you have the gun in a bag, put it in a watertight ammo can.
Long guns:
For rifles and shotguns, it can be tricky to find bags to seal them in.
You can use large mylar bags and also heavy-duty trash bags.
Tie multiple knots in the garbage bags to protect the gun. You can even double or triple bag the guns. Once you have the guns in bags put them inside a plastic container.
Finally, add a couple of layers of duct tape to the seals of the container.
When storing your firearms for an impending flood, keep them unloaded before wrapping them in plastic.
Also, don’t assume that your gun safe will protect your guns during a flood.
Most safes are not waterproof even if they might claim to be. There are gaps in the seals and o-rings that can fail in water.
You don’t want to keep your guns wrapped up and in a plastic bin all the time.
But you also need to stay up to date on the chance of flooding. If it’s imminent, start preparing.
You can keep them wrapped and ready until you want to use them again.
