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India often faces natural calamities like earth quakes, landslides, floods, cyclones and drought occurring fairly frequently in different parts of the country. At times, the same area is subjected to one or more of these disasters situation in successive seasons or years. While not all natural calamities can be predicted and prevented, a state of preparedness and ability to respond quickly to a natural calamity can considerably mitigate loss of life and property and the human suffering and restore normalcy at the earliest. Hence it is important for a detailed study and analysis of each disaster. Against this background, this paper reviews the different possible causes behind the Uttarakhand Disaster of 15-17th June 2013 in detail. Uttarakhand district lies on the southern slope of the Himalayan range. The climate and vegetation vary greatly with elevation, from glaciers at the highest elevations to subtropical forests at the lower elevations. The district, in general, is prone to different disasters and the order of severity of damage are; earthquakes, excessive rains and cloud bursts, landslides, floods, forest fires and hailstorms. However, there have been numerous debates and controversies ever since the flash floods hit the state of Uttarakhand in June 2013. This has been one of the worst Himalayan tragedies in recent years in which the actual number of people buried or perished is not known as thousands are still missing. The entire Rambara, a large part of Gaurikund and many villages of Mandakini valley were also fully wiped out. Government sources have reported large number of deaths including missing of over ~5000 people in the wake of the devastating flooding. The death toll of 5,748 tops India's previous record worst monsoon flood death toll of 4892 set in July 1968 in Rajasthan and Gujarat provinces. The fact remains the same that the torrential rains triggered a massive landslide that hit Uttarakhand's Hindu shrine in Kedarnath, which lies just a short distance from the snout of two mountain glaciers. From 15 to 17 June 2013, the Indian state of Uttarakhand and adjoining area received heavy rainfall, which was about 375% more than the benchmark rainfall during a normal monsoon. This might have caused the melting of Chorabari Glacier at the height of 3800 metres, and eruption of the Mandakini River which led to heavy floods near Gobindghat, Kedar Dome, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Western Nepal, and acute rainfall in other nearby regions of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and some adjoining areas. It has been reported that the complete destruction of Mandakini River in Kedarnath on 16th and 17th June 2013 which resulted in large number of casualties especially among the floating population of pilgrims could have been avoided, if some regulations was in place to counter the mushrooming of different types of dwelling places in Kedarnath. In this context, it is important to understand torrential rain induced geodynamic processes of flash flood resulting rock falls and debris flow, Chorabari lake collapse and deposition of glacial material. This paper review the different scientific studies that have emerged during the last six months emphasizing Meteorological, Geological, Anthropogenic and other causes that lead to this catastrophic disaster.
Natural Hazards and Earth System Science
Brief Communication: Climatic, meteorological and topographical causes of the 16–17 June 2013 Kedarnath (India) natural disaster event2015 •
The devastating flood episode (16–17 June 2013) at Kedarnath (Uttrakhand, India), caused a huge loss of lives and loss of physical/material wealth. To understand this catastrophic event, rainfall/convective data and associated climate meteorological parameters are investigated. A low-pressure zone with very high cloud cover (60–90 %) and relative humidity (70–100 %), associated with low (< 4 m s<sup>−1</sup>) wind velocity, are observed over the Kedarnath region during 15–17 June. The cause of this disaster seems to be heavy and continuous rainfall, associated with snowmelt and the overflooding/collapse of Chorabari Lake, located upstream. Monsoon advancement was much faster than usual, due to the presence of the convectively active phase of the Madden–Julian oscillation.
International Journal of Current Science
Cloudburst: An Extreme Disaster in Pithoragarh District, Uttarakhand2022 •
The possibility of disasters is increasing in the mountainous areas of Uttarakhand. The main reasons for which are forest exploitation, overgrazing, mining, human activities and climate change etc. Cloudburst disaster (CBD) is a major natural extreme event in the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand. The study area is very sensitive for tectonics where natural calamities devastate within a few moments. Public wealth, agricultural land, infrastructure and natural landforms have lead to loss of life and property in this area. These disasters (floods or heavy rains) result in increased intensity in the form of deep erosion and landslides. The study area lying in between the Main Central Fault (MCT) and the Main Boundary Fault (MBT) due to increased activity of fault joints in the rocks increases the instability and mobility of material along in the slopes due to which every year hydro-meteorological disasters (cloudburst, flash floods, excess rain etc.) occur in Uttarakhand Himalayas, which are responsible for topographical as well as environmental changes and effect human life and physical landforms. The occurrence of cloudburst in the recent years has increased abruptly. In the year 2020, Bangapani and Dhami villages in Dharchula block of Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand came under the grip of natural calamities like landslides and flash floods due to cloudburst and excessive rainfall. This disaster changed the lives of the people here. Cloudbursts, heavy rains, floods and landslides are natural phenomena, but increasing human intervention in modernization and unbalanced technological development (road, building construction and forest destruction etc.) is also responsible to a great extant. Therefore, an increase in the instability of the slopes can be observed which results in calamities like the heartbreaking Malpa landslide of August 1998 and many more hazards and disasters have occurred in the study area.
2019 •
Kedarnath temple, one of the holiest shrines of Hindu deity Lord Shiva is situated at the height of about 3581 meters above sea level. The temple and adjoining area faced catastrophe in June 2013, the worst disaster of the north India in present century. This tragedy has attracted the attention to look through the reasons of the natural disaster encountered by the Garhwal Himalayas. There are various views such as influence of seasonal climate change, sudden climatic activities, other reasons evolved due to unplanned human activities that compelled the nature to create such calamity which took the sacrifice of thousands of lives and millions of wealth. The influence of seasonal climate change elaborates that there was a heavy snowfall due to Westerly Disturbances in the winter of 2012-13. In the summer of June 2013, there was also a heavy rainfall due to early arrival of monsoon. It was also accompanied with the cloudburst stimulated by the Westerly Disturbances. These activities resulted in heavy rainfall and consequently heavy snow melting. Henceforth, cloudbursts and snow melting caused outburst floods in Chorabari Glacier Lake and flash floods in surrounding areas. Chorabari Lake having Glaciated Morains Deposited boundary, was vulnerable to high pressure of water burst. The flood water mixed with mud (with fragile land base) washed away the area of Kedarnath valley. This heavy flow claimed lives and wealth more because there was an unscrupulous development in the area. However, the study in this paper focuses the reasons behind this particular natural disaster which trembled to the nation, administration and finally the humanity.
IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT),e-ISSN:2319-2402;p-ISSN:2319-2399
‘The Himalayan Tsunami’- Cloudburst, Flash Flood & Death Toll: A Geographical Postmortem2013 •
Abstract: People of Grarhwal in Uttarakhand state of India and several pilgrims, those who were present there would never forget the four days of June 2013. This part of India is very famous for several high altitude pilgrimages and mass tourism. For its spiritual importance this region is commonly known as ‘Dev Bhumi’- Land of Gods. From May to October this entire region always remains busy with the ‘Char Dham Yatra and tourism activities. Like every year, June of 2013 was no different, pilgrimages and tourist spots were crowded with thousands of people. They were totally unknown what was going to hell their life after the cloudburst on and from 14th June to 17th June. After the Multi days cloudburst and heavy rainfall, the entire region especially the Kedarnath area faced devastating flash flood and associating landslide. Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Pithoragarh districts were badly affected. The death toll is reached up to10, 000 and 3000 persons were missing and several hundreds were injured. The flash flood was so treating and massive that it was called ‘The Himalayan Tsunami’. This paper explores the geographical causes of the Uttakhand-flood and issues related with this great disaster with possible mitigation. Key Words: Char Dham Yatra, Cloudburst, Flashflood, Landslide, Uttarakhand,
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions
Brief Communication: Climate, topographical and meteorological investigation of the 16–17 June 2013 Kedarnath (India) disaster causes2015 •
Geomatics, Natural Hazards and Risk
The fury of the floods in the north-west Himalayan region: the Kedarnath tragedy2013 •
2021 •
The Himalayan mountain ranges have been commonly known as one of the most vulnerable places on earth for natural hazards like landslides and flash floods. A catastrophic flash flood was witnessed in the Seti River on 5 May 2012, which exemplified how destructive it can be not just for the physical and economical loss, but also it was the loss of environment and cultural heritage sites. This paper aims to assess the flash flood event for future implications. The field study was conducted aftermath of the event, where interviews were conducted with the victims' families. It also reviewed the studies conducted by various research groups regarding this disaster. It revealed that the result of mass failure from the Annapurna IV created a temporary dam, and the sudden burst of collected water resulted in the flash flood. Overall, it took 72 lives and huge destruction of physical properties like houses, bridges, vehicles and agricultural land. The existing settlements around the Seti b...
The recent flash flood which occurred on 16'~ and 17'~ June 2013 in different parts of Uttarakhand State resulted heavy loss of infrastructure, agricultural fields, lives, roads and widespread devastation of natural resources. Pre and Post disaster field investigations, meteorological observations and remote sensing data sets are considered duly for the study. Extreme rain about 325 mm within 24 hours combined with melting snow caused horrific floods in the Mandakini River. Breaching of moraine dammed Chorabari Lake and deposited >5 m, loose unconsolidated moraine debris on the Kedarnath town; were the main causes of the devastation in the downstream of the valley. River aggredations accentuated the flooding in the downstream and completely washed-out Rambara with moderately washed Gaurikund, Sonprayagetc. Moreover, 33 newly activated landslides and 7 old landslides were identified and mapped along Sonprayag - Kedarnath route. Such a magnitude of disaster was perhaps not witnessed by the region at least over the last 100 years. Thus, this disaster can be considered as an Extreme Climatic Event of the century.
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