Climate change key factor behind rain bane: Experts

Tribune News Service

Karam Prakash

New Delhi, August 19

The latest spell of heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which killed many people and caused a huge loss of property, was due to the northward movement of the axis of the monsoon trough driven weather conditions. These conditions led to heavy to very heavy rainfall across the Himalayan region.

Though weather conditions must have been favourable for heavy rain there, climate change has a definite role in the increasing intensity of weather activities, say climatologists.

Climatologists’ observation

• The warmer it becomes, the more moisture the atmosphere can hold; this leads to evaporation of more water from the earth’s surface
• This increases the water holding capacity of air, resulting in more droplets and heavier rainfall; sometimes in a short time and over a small area

Experts said the atmosphere, land and oceans, all were warming up at a fast rate due to climate change. “The warmer it becomes, the more moisture the atmosphere can hold. This has led to more water being evaporated from the earth’s surface. This increases the holding capacity of the air, which results in more droplets and heavier rainfall, sometimes in a shorter space of time and over a smaller area,” said experts. There had been an increase in the average relative humidity across India because of the rapid rise in land and sea temperature.

• Total losses so far Rs 8,075 CR
• Deaths 338
• MISSING 38
• Landslides 113

“Monsoon rainfall patterns over India have seen a climatic shift in the recent decades. The most significant change is that instead of having moderate rain, spread out through the monsoon season, we have long dry periods with short spells of heavy rain. The pace of global warming has accelerated and we need urgent action as these extreme conditions will intensify in near future,” said Dr Roxy Mathew Koll, senior scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune.

“The loss of lives and devastation caused by the recent landslides and flashfloods in Himachal are a stark reminder of the intensifying impact of climate change. Increased temperatures can lead to more intense rainfall events, escalating the risk of landslides and flashfloods. Immediate action is imperative,” said Anjal Prakash, Clinical Associate Professor (Research) and Research Director, at Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business.

Nadda, Anurag to visit flood-hit areas today

n BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur will visit flood-affected areas of Shimla and Sirmaur districts tomorrow.

n Nadda will visit flashflood-hit Sirmauri Taal in the Paonta Sahib Assembly segment of Sirmaur district. He will fly to Shimla and pay a visit to the Shiv temple collapse site at Summer Hill near Himachal Pradesh University.

n He will later leave for Bilaspur. State BJP president Rajeev Bindal and former CM Jai Ram Thakur will accompany him.

Govt forms Expert panel

Alarmed by landslides and falling trees, the state government on Saturday constituted an expert panel to prepare a cause and analysis report on the damage caused due to landslides and land subsidence across the state. The Principal Secretary (Revenue) issued a notification in this regard. The committee will submit its preliminary report on the damage and reasons for it.

Absolutely devastated, says Preity Zinta

Actor Preity Zinta, who hails from Shimla, has mourned the loss of lives in Himachal due to heavy rain and landslides. In an Instagram note, she wrote: “Absolutely devastated after seeing the visuals from HP. My heart & prayers go out to all the affected people & their families. May God protect them in these difficult times as nature unleashes its fury on my beautiful hill state.”

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#Climate change #Environment #Monsoon #Uttarakhand