MMonsoon in India is 8% above normal for this time of year. While this can be a good sign for agriculture in some areas, it also means floods and concentrated rain with disastrous consequences. At least 25 people died over the weekend in flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Several main roads were blocked by debris, as streams washed away bridges and vehicles. The death toll in Himachal Pradesh rose to 21 and 12 were injured. At least six are missing due to the chaos following the rain. Mandi, Kangra and Chamba are the most affected districts in the state. While death and property damage are superficial manifestations of these rains, there are many secondary effects with long-term downstream effects. For example, schools and transportation facilities are immediately put out of action, leading to the loss of productive hours. Cattle and plants are left to perish, which in turn destroys livelihoods, undermines family finances and puts pressure on the finances of the state exchequer. Monsoons compress about 75% of India’s annual rainfall over four months and disproportionately water the country’s highly diverse terrain. Therefore, it is inevitable that some places are far more vulnerable and bear the disproportionate impact of climate wrath. A recent report released by the Department of Environment, Science and Technology of Himachal Pradesh has highlighted that mountainous regions are highly vulnerable to natural disasters, where development over the years has exacerbated the problem by disturbing the ecological balance of various physical processes.
While hill states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have some unique challenges, the threats from climate uncertainties are not unique to them. Monsoon rains are disrupting patterns leading to an increase in cloudburst-like events as well as increasing the frequency of high-energy cyclones and droughts. One strategy adopted by the government has been to improve the system of early warning forecasts. India Meteorological Department now provides fortnightly, weekly and even three hourly weather forecast to the districts. These include integrated warnings about flash floods and lightning. All of these are not accurate and often, are not provided early enough for officers to prepare themselves. In recent years, improvements in early warnings for impending cyclones have helped state agencies evacuate and rehabilitate the most vulnerable, but such success has not been seen for floods. While the inherent risks of infrastructure development in hilly and unstable terrain are well understood, these are often touted by the authorities in the name of balancing people’s demands for better infrastructure and services. The increased risk and cost for such projects and infrastructure should be noted as presented by the government, and scientific advice regarding development should be strictly followed.