View article

Ocean tsunami. Heavy, continuous rains have caused unprecedented damage to life and property where torrential rivers from the Himalaya swept away roads, bridges, houses and buildings in the swirling waters. According to the gov ernment officials, more than 1000 per sons are expected dead with more than 6000 missing and tens of thousands have been displaced (http://www. indian express. com; http://www. nytimes. com). The torrential rainfall between 15 and 17 June 2013 flooded the area causing excessive gulley erosions and sediment deposition on its way. It is suggested that during the night of 16 June 2013, due to incessant precipitation, large volume of water carrying huge amount of sedi ments, and debris from glacial moraines and surrounding areas struck Kedarnath town and washed off its upper parts1.