Why in News?
The IMD Chief stated that while there is no rising trend in cloudbursts and they remain impossible to forecast, India is witnessing an increase in “mini-cloudbursts,” with above-normal monsoon rainfall recorded across most regions except the northeast.
Description:
- Cloudburst = Rainfall of 10 cm or more within an hour over a 10 km × 10 km area.
- Example: 5 cm rainfall in 30 minutes in the same area = also a cloudburst.
- Key point: It is not just “heavy rain,” but heavy rain in a very short duration over a small area.
Characteristics:
- Localized event (small geographical area).
- Sudden and intense rainfall, difficult to measure due to sparse instruments in hilly areas.
- Common during monsoon months, especially in Himalayan states (J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand, NE India).
Consequences:
- Flash floods, landslides, soil erosion, destruction of life & property.
- Heavy water discharge affects downstream areas, even beyond the localized region.
Forecasting Challenges:
- IMD predicts light / heavy / very heavy rainfall but not exact quantum at micro-level.
- Cloudbursts are not predictable with current technology due to:
- Need for a dense weather instrument network.
- High computing power requirements.
- Thus, specific cloudburst forecasts are not possible.
Cloudburst & Landslides:
- Cloudbursts often trigger landslides in mountainous terrains.
- Natural triggers: heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snowmelt, slope undercutting.
- Anthropogenic triggers: deforestation, infrastructure expansion, hill cutting, overgrazing.
India’s Landslide Vulnerability:
- India = among top 5 landslide-prone countries.
- 12.6% land area (0.42 million sq. km) prone to landslides.
- Distribution of reported landslides:
- 66.5% → Northwestern Himalayas
- 18.8% → Northeastern Himalayas
- 14.7% → Western Ghats
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