Rainfall and other forms of Precipitation

If you thought that Uttarakhand was a land populated solely by tourists, I wouldn’t blame you. After all, that’s been the focus of the media in relation to who’s been affected by the recent floods – pilgrims at the Char Dhams and at Hemkund Sahib. The numbers are staggering, no doubt. As of 6pm on June 22nd, 73,000 people have been rescued, 50,000 people remain stranded and at least 1,000 are presumed dead (source: reliefweb).

Havoc in the hills

We await a future that could be hotter and drier because of climate change. This is increasingly recognized as a global concern and available data suggests that it is increasing the frequency and severity of weather-related hazards in South Asia. As per a World Bank report “Glacier melting in the Himalayas is projected to increase flooding and will affect water resources within the next two to three decades.” (1)