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First Post
5 days ago
- Climate
- First Post
Uttarakhand cloudburst: What makes Uttarkashi so prone to disasters?
Flash floods in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi triggered by a cloudburst on Tuesday (August 5) have brought death and destruction. The district, which lies in the central Himalayan region, has often reported extreme rainfall events. It is also vulnerable to earthquakes and landslides. Experts say climate change and unregulated construction have worsened the disasters striking the hill state read more Search and rescue operation underway following flash floods triggered by a cloudburst, at Dharali, in Uttarkashi. PTI Uttarakhand has once again been struck by a disaster. At least five people died and dozens of others are missing after a cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Tuesday (August 5) afternoon triggered flash floods and landslides. Swollen waters swept through the Dharali village, a tourist hotspot en route to Gangotri. A cloudburst in the Kheer Ganga river catchment area toppled houses, shops and other buildings. While rescue and relief operations continue, incessant rainfall and landslides have blocked the Gangotri Highway at several points, affecting the operations. Eleven soldiers are among the missing after a mudslide hit the Army camp in Harshil. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is not the first natural disaster to hit Uttarkashi, which is a vulnerable zone. But why? We will explain. Uttarkashi's topography Uttarkashi lies within the Garhwal Himalayas, mountain ranges dotted with unstable rock formations and rivers that are fed by glaciers. This topography makes areas such as Dharali, Harshil, and Gangotri susceptible to landslides, flash floods, and debris flows. More from Explainers Definition to frequency: 4 things to know about Uttarakhand cloudbursts The central Himalayan region has reported frequent extreme rainfall events in recent years. According to studies by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), the districts of Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh are also highly vulnerable to cloudbursts, the intensity of which has increased with a surge in temperatures in the Himalayan region. A cloudburst is a sudden, intense downpour of rain that occurs over a small area in a short span of time, often leading to flash floods. Houses buried under debris following flash floods triggered by a cloudburst, in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand. @pushkardhami/X via PTI These districts also fall in the high seismic Main Central Thrust (MCT) zone that has witnessed many earthquakes in recent years, reported Hindustan Times (HT). 'The rocks of the area are highly fragile in nature because of a number of thrusts and faults. Geomorphologically and physiographically, high relief difference, steep slopes, thick overburden and streams are common characteristics of features in the area,' Sushil Khanduri of USDMA said in a paper published in 2022 in the International Journal of Earth Sciences. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Uttarakhand has 118 high-altitude lakes, of which 32 are in Uttarkashi. 'These lakes are fed by glacier melt water as maximum are located in snout areas and also receive enough precipitation during monsoon,' a study on extreme rainfall in Uttarakhand by the Department of Science and Technology in 2022 said, as per HT. Is climate change to blame? The impact of climate change is visible in India's hill states, especially Uttarakhand. Scientists warn that climate change is worsening the disasters, with glaciers in the state melting faster than ever. This is changing river flows and increasing the risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), flash floods and landslides. It is well-known that climate change is making extreme weather events more common and intense. 'We have seen in recent years due to climate change the intensity of extreme rainfall has increased. There has been a sudden burst of rain for 10-15 minutes due to high temperature volatility in peak tops. The frequent earthquakes loosen boulders and topsoil increasing landslides across the Himalayan belt. The gush of heavy rain brings them down along with debris from slopes at high speed causing massive devastation,' Sushil Khanduri of USDMA said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Or is it a man-made disaster? Unregulated construction in Uttarakhand is hurting its natural buffers that once protected the region from such disasters. Factors such as reduced forest cover and change of moderate debris-laden slopes into near vertical slopes during road widening and constucting buildings have been blamed for extreme downpour in the hill state, as per several studies. Unplanned construction on natural waterways of rivers and streams, including in Dharali village, has exacerbated the damage, experts say. They attribute the devastating impact of flash floods to unchecked constructions on the riverbed of Kheer Ganga, a tributary of Bhagirathi, as per HT. The Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (BESZ), which spans from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi, is ecologically fragile. Experts say it is necessary to underline that only climate change is not responsible for the rise in such events in Uttarakhand. 'You can see the anthropogenic signature in every such disaster. In the videos, we can see hotels, big buildings right on the river bed. The river will take its route. It is only natural to expect that it will flow freely. Any hindrances to its flow will obviously cause disasters. The massive increase in the number of landslides is again completely linked to road construction on the Char Dham route,' Mallika Bhanot, environmentalist and member of Ganga Ahvaan, a civil society collective, told the newspaper. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Locals also point out that to boost tourism revenue, authorities are allowing unsustainable development. 'In the race to earn from tourism, tree felling and construction are happening at an unprecedented scale. There are no robust systems in place to manage disasters in vulnerable stretches of BESZ, despite the region having witnessed similar devastating floods in the past,' Suresh Bhai, an Uttarkashi-based environmentalist and founder of the Himalaya Bachao Andolan, told Times of India. With inputs from agencies
Bangkok Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Police form fact-finding panel to probe PGH medics accused of helping Thaksin
National police chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch has appointed a fact-finding committee to investigate alleged misconduct involving two senior officers -- Police Deputy Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Sophonrat Singhajaru, a former Police General Hospital (PGH) chief physician, and current chief physician Pol Lt Gen Taweesilp Wechawitarn. Both have had their medical licences suspended following a resolution by the Medical Council of Thailand (MCT) on May 8. The two officers have been accused of helping former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra receive privileged treatment on the PGH's 14th floor. Pol Lt Gen Sophonrat's and Pol Lt Gen Taweesilp's medical licences will be suspended for three months and six months, respectively, starting Oct 1, for allegedly providing false or misleading medical documents or information regarding Thaksin's health to facilitate his extended hospital stay at the PGH. According to Pol Gen Kittharath, a thorough and careful disciplinary investigation is required due to public interest in the matter and the complexity of the case, hence the formation of the fact-finding committee under Sections 117 and 199 of the Royal Thai Police Act BE 2565. Key committee members include deputy national inspector general Pol Lt Gen Thanapol Srisopha, who chairs the committee; national inspector general Pol Lt Gen Kritsada Kanchana-alongkorn; Pol Maj Gen Jenkamon Kamnual, commander of the Office of the Inspector General's Inspection Division 8; and Pol Maj Gen Songpol Boribanprasert, commander of the Support Division. The committee also includes 14 other police officers. It is instructed to complete the investigation into the case according to the Office of Police Commission regulation on fact-finding investigations, BE 2556. Upon completion, the investigation file is to be submitted to the police chief for further proceedings. Should the committee uncover evidence of other violations beyond those stated in the current order, or if the investigation implicates other police officers, the committee's chairman must report such findings, said Pol Gen Kittharath. It was also reported on Monday that former Democrat Party list MP Watchara Petchthong will appear before the committee on Tuesday at 1pm to provide testimony about the case as a witness.
New Indian Express
27-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Swachh honour for Tirupati's women workforce
TIRUPATI: he temple city of Tirupati has once again proven its excellence in public sanitation, clinching the Presidential Award in the Swachh Survekshan Super League 2024-25 under the 3 to 5 lakh population category. The credit for this remarkable achievement goes not just to high-level planning but to the relentless efforts of more than 400 women sanitary workers, whose hard work and dedication kept the city clean, day in and day out. From Tirupati Municipal Corporation (MCT) Commissioner N Mourya to grassroots workers like P Subbamma, an illiterate yet committed sanitary worker, the collective spirit of teamwork and resilience has propelled Tirupati to the top spot in the country's most prestigious cleanliness competition for the third consecutive year. These women begin their work before sunrise, typically starting at 5.00 am and stretching until 5.30 pm, with a short lunch break. Armed with brooms, carts, and an unwavering spirit, they sweep streets, clear debris, and manage waste across the city's 31.5 km radius. With a population of 5.5 lakh, Tirupati generates around 252 tonnes of waste daily - a mammoth task by any standard. The civic chief acknowledged the pivotal role played by women workers, saying, 'More than 60% of our sanitation workforce comprises women. Their unwavering commitment and consistent presence on the roads have been key to securing this prestigious award. Except for driving sanitary vehicles, they now handle nearly all aspects of sanitation work with growing confidence, while also managing their family responsibilities.' She added that during the Swachh Survekshan drive, she visited the wards from 5.30 to 8.00 am daily to guide the workers, listen to their concerns, and keep morale high. 'This hands-on approach helped sharpen focus and unity among the teams. This year, we also ensured 100% door-to-door garbage collection, a crucial factor in our top-ranking success.'
Hans India
23-07-2025
- General
- Hans India
Minister pats MCT officials, staff
Tirupati: A team of officials and workers were felicitated following the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) winning national Swachh Survekshan Award. A meeting was held on Tuesday in Kachapi Auditorium for the celebrations in which Commissioner Narapureddy Mourya, health officer Dr Yuva Anvesh Reddy and other officials were felicitated by district in-charge Minister Anagani Satya Prasad. Speaking on the occasion, Minister Anagani Satya Prasad and MLA Arani Srinivasulu congratulated Municipal Commissioner Narapureddy Mourya and the team of officials and workers for winning the national Swachh Survekshan award consecutively. Commissioner Narapureddy Mourya said the credit of winning the award continuously for cleanliness goes to every sanitary worker and their officials working round-the-clock to keep the pilgrim city clean. District Collector Dr S Venkateswar, trainee Collector Raghuvamsi, Deputy Mayors Mudra Narayana, RC Munikrishna and corporators were present.
The Hindu
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Anagani alleges Jagan, Roja ‘stumbling blocks' in State's development
Minister for Revenue, Stamps and Registration Anagani Satya Prasad on Tuesday alleged that former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and former minister R.K. Roja were acting like 'stumbling blocks' in the State's development. Speaking to the media here on Tuesday (July 22), he said that it was 'below dignity' for him to speak on some politicians who were bent on stalling development in the State. 'Our Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu made 56 field level trips across the State during the last 13 months, but our former Chief Minister does not even have the intention of attending the Assembly sessions. If Jagan is really interested in the people's welfare, why does not he attend the Assembly?', he asked. The Minister joined MLAs Arani Srinivasulu (Tirupati) and Bojjala Venkata Sudhir Reddy (Srikalahasti), MCT Commissioner N. Mourya and Andhra Pradesh Greening and Beautification Corporation Chairperson M. Sugunamma to celebrate the city's impressive 'Swachh Survekshan' rankings in an event organised by the MCT.
