Why returning monsoon causing floods in India?

Unseasonal rains of 36 hours have left Uttarakhand badly disturbed. During this, 17 people died at different places. About 11 thousand pilgrims who went on the pilgrimage to the Char Dhams of the state have been stopped at various places.

The entire Uttarakhand has come to a standstill due to heavy rains for the third consecutive day on Tuesday. While water gushed inside houses and basements in several parts of the state, heavy waterlogging was reported from Dehradun. A bridge over the Gaula river in Haldwani was partially damaged amidst incessant rains in Uttarakhand. Apart from this, an under-construction bridge over the Chalati river in Champawat has also washed away.

In view of the heavy rain warning issued by the Uttarakhand Meteorological Department for October 17-19, the Chardham Devasthanam Board has temporarily stopped the Char Dham Yatra.

returning monsoon in India

After the departure of the monsoon from the state, life was now back on track, but the Western Disturbance once again disturbed the life. The rain started in the state on October 17 in the morning, which continued till the evening of October 18. 

ALSO READ: Heavy Rainfall in Uttarakhand, Which cities affected

The rain continued till late at night in some hilly areas of the state. Due to the effect of Western Disturbance, very heavy rains were recorded at many places in the state. Bageshwar, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Nainital, Pauri, and Champawat districts recorded 100 to 230 mm of rain, while Almora, Chamoli, and Rudraprayag districts received 70 to 100 mm of rain. Normal rainfall occurred in Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, and Uttarkashi districts.

The Meteorological Department said that due to the above meteorological activity, heavy to very heavy rains are expected in isolated parts of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and West Uttar Pradesh. 

flash floods

Many parts of India over the past few days are witnessing flash floods, landslides, and waterlogging, the immediate dangers posed by climate change have come to the fore once again. The latest example of how a giant country is on the front lines of climate change.

In Kerala, at least 25 people due to floods and landslides in Kerala after incessant rains. Water levels in several dams continued to rise on Monday morning due to heavy rains in Kerala, with the state government issuing an alert that the shutters of some dams would be lifted.

Melting glaciers

Experts believe the cause was a large portion of the glacier – 15 football fields long and five – breaking high in the mountains. A glaciologist who examined the site told AFP that the catastrophe was "clearly the result of climate change and a story in itself of our future".

ALSO READ: Monsoon knock in many states, there will be heavy rain in these parts

In the Himalayas, about 10,000 glaciers are shrinking at a rate of 30 to 60 meters (100 to 200 ft) per decade as global temperatures rise.

hotter and hotter

India's average temperature rose by around 0.7 °C (1.3 °F) between the beginning of the 20th century and 2018. According to a recent government report, it will rise by 4.4 degrees by 2100.

In early July, only the latest heatwave scorched millions across north India. The India Meteorological Department has announced a heatwave almost every year over the past decade, with temperatures sometimes reaching 50 °C (122 °F).

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