Natural Disasters In India
Natural Disasters In India
India has four major seasons namely Winter (January –February), Summer (March – May), Rainy / Monsoon Season (June – September and Post-Monsoon (October – December). The nation itself has distinctly different climatic sub-types with desert in the Western part of the country, humid and tropical regions with rain forests in the South, Glaciers and Alpine Tundra in the North and Indian Ocean island territories along the coastline. Though these regions have distinctly different climates, they’re closely linked and help with the varying climatic proportions across the country.
Geographic Significance in Climate
The climate of India is largely influenced by the Geographic positioning and natural climatic barriers that form natural boundaries around the country. Thar Desert in North West and Himalayas to the North, play a key role in monsoons. Unlike other parts of Asia, India is fairly warmer as compared to other countries placed similarly, predominantly due to the Thar Desert.
Though Tropic of Cancer, which is considered as the boundary that runs between tropical and subtropical areas, divides India by half, Indian climate is still considered Tropical. Like other tropical countries, climate of India is fairly unstable and unpredictable. Droughts, Cyclones, Floods and other natural disasters are very common and brought an end to millions of human lives and property.
Natural Disasters
Other natural disasters that have stuck India include Earthquakes, Tsunami, Landslides, Snowstorms, Hails and Summer Dust Storms. Snowstorms are more common in the extreme Northern part of India, whereas, dust storms are common in the desert regions. Avalanches or rapid flow of snows along the slope are common in Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir and Sikkim. Hails are common in few parts of India and leave crops like Rice and Wheat damaged.
The regions in the lower parts of Himalayas are prone to landslides during Torrential rains and floods, risking lives and property. Recently, landslides have become a common affair in the Western Ghats. However, floods top the list of natural disasters in India, owing to the many rivers that run through the length and breadth of the country. Southwest Monsoon triggers flood along the course of Brahmaputra. Central India is equally flood-prone and floods are a common occurrence here recently.
India is surrounded by Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean on three sides, a reason why Cyclones are very common in the coastal areas. States bordered by Bay of Bengal namely Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Orissa and West Bengal is often hit due to Cyclones. However, Arabian Sea is less prone to Cyclones, so states like Kerala and Gujarat that are bordered with Arabian Sea are affected less. India relies heavily on Monsoons for water supply and hence, Droughts are also quite common.
Recent & Major Natural Disasters that Stuck India
Uttarakhand Flood, 2013
In June, a cloudburst triggered deadly floods across North India spanning across Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. A few parts of Nepal also experienced floods, but major damage was in Uttarakhand, where at least 5700 people were declared dead! It is considered as the worst natural disaster, only next to the Tsunami that hit India in 2004.
Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2004
A powerful earthquake that measured 9.0 in Richter scale triggered a Tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004. Considered as one of the most powerful in history, it left at least 10,000 people dead in India alone.
Gujarat Earthquake, 2001
On 26th January in the year 2001, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 in Richter scale rocked Gujarat. At least 30,000 were killed as an aftermath. Around 6,500 homes were destroyed in Bhuj, the epicenter of the earthquake.
Cyclone, 1999
In the year 1999, a Cyclone hit the coasts of Orissa and left at least 20,000 people and 700,000 cattle dead. About 20 million people lost their homes and 2 million trees were uprooted and 1.2 million hectares of crops were destroyed.
Latur Earthquake, 1993
Measuring around 6.4 in Richter scale, Latur earthquake was considered as the most devastating in modern times. At least 20,000 people were left dead and 2 lakh people lost their homes as an aftermath.
There were famines and other disasters earlier, though these are most recent and major natural disasters to hit India. While famines and cyclones were expected, Tsunami was least expected and though warned ahead, India never accepted and hence, was never prepared for the hit!