Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to enquire about the flood-like situations prevailing in the respective regions. The torrential rains have wreaked havoc in various parts of the country, affecting Gujarat’s southern and Saurashtra regions and leading to the escalation of water levels in the Yamuna river in Delhi.
In Gujarat, heavy to very heavy rains pounded several districts in the southern and Saurashtra regions on Saturday, causing widespread flooding in urban areas and isolating villages. The water levels in dams and rivers have surged to dangerous levels, necessitating immediate intervention to aid affected communities.
Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had a telephonic conversation with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to discuss the unfolding flood-like scenario. The Chief Minister apprised him of the current situation and the challenges faced by the state due to recent heavy rainfall. In response, Amit Shah assured the availability of ample numbers of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to aid those in need.
In Delhi, the Yamuna river witnessed a surge in water levels, breaching the danger mark once again on Sunday. The increase in discharge from the Hathnikund barrage, caused by heavy rains in parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, has further raised concerns about the flood situation in the national capital. The potential escalation of water levels in the Yamuna river could hinder ongoing relief-and-rehabilitation efforts in low-lying areas affected by the floods.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah engaged in a discussion with Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to assess the water level situation in the Yamuna river. The aim was to strategize and ensure adequate measures are in place to address the potential challenges posed by the surging water levels.
Moreover, it should be noted that various other regions of the country are also experiencing torrential rains this season. The unprecedented rainfall has led to flooding in several areas, disrupting normal life and causing significant damage to property and infrastructure.
What is Causing the Extreme Rain in India this Season?
As per an Outlook report on July 10, north India experienced the influence of two active weather systems, leading to significant weather events in the region.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) chief, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, one weather system was a trough extending from Rajasthan to the north Arabian Sea, associated with a western disturbance. Concurrently, strong monsoon conditions brought winds from the Bay of Bengal towards the north. The convergence of these two systems occurred around Jammu & Kashmir and around Himachal Pradesh. As a result, these areas received abundant moisture from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, leading to exceptionally heavy rainfall.
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra noted that such interactions between two weather systems are not uncommon and are often associated with extreme weather events, particularly in the hilly regions of northwest India. He cited a past instance in mid-June 2013, where a western disturbance drew moisture northward from a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal. This caused the monsoon to cover the entire country at a record pace (by June 16) and resulted in catastrophic downpours, including the devastating cloudburst at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.
The mountainous areas are especially susceptible to heavy rainfall during such confluences because the winds collide with the hills and are forced to rise, leading to intensified precipitation, as explained by Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.
Kieran M R Hunt from the University of Reading in the UK, who led a study on such interactions in India, emphasized that the intensity of rainfall caused by these confluences could increase in a warming world. While the frequency of these interactions might not show a clear trend, Kieran M R Hunt pointed out that when they do occur, they are increasingly likely to be linked with extreme rainfall and flooding.
In conclusion, the recent weather patterns in north India, influenced by the convergence of two active weather systems, have resulted in heavy rainfall and significant weather events in the region. The potential for such extreme weather occurrences in the future could be exacerbated in a warming climate.
Climate Change – the Inevitable Crisis
As per a report by CNN, scientists have issued a stark warning that extreme weather events will become more frequent and intense due to the accelerating climate crisis caused by human activities. The World Meteorological Organization’s annual climate update highlighted the likelihood of surpassing a crucial climate threshold within the next five years as global temperatures continue to rise above pre-industrial levels.
Asia, with a massive population of approximately 4.4 billion people, is highly susceptible to the consequences of climate change, the report states. Recent episodes of extreme weather in the region have resulted in water shortages, crop failures, and economic setbacks. Pakistan experienced devastating flooding last year, claiming over 1,700 lives and displacing millions of people. The nation is currently grappling with its worst economic crisis in decades, worsened by inflation triggered by the destruction of last year’s harvests.
India is among those projected to be severely affected by the climate crisis, potentially impacting 1.4 billion people nationwide, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The country has recently faced scorching heatwaves in some regions and severe flooding in others, causing significant disruptions and forcing people to flee their homes.
India’s vulnerability to such weather extremes is evident during the monsoon season, which brings annual severe flooding and landslides, the report states. States like Assam, with a population of over 31 million, suffer immensely during these episodes. Floodwaters have affected hundreds of thousands of people, leading to evacuations and tragic loss of life.
The adverse impacts of extreme weather events in India are particularly felt by the country’s poor, including the approximately 472 million people living in urban slums, as highlighted by the World Bank. Sunita Narain, a renowned Indian environmentalist, emphasized that the poor, though not responsible for creating the climate problem, are the most vulnerable victims of climate change.
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