How Extreme Weather Is Battering India This Year

Extreme Weather wreaks havoc and disaster preparedness of the extreme kind can only lessen the losses but cannot entirely leash them. A new research report compiled by the UK-based Overseas Development Institute suggests that by 2030, up to a third of a billion people could be living in the 49 countries most exposed to the full range of natural hazards and climate extremes. So adequate measures must be taken now to control the impact of Extreme Weather occurrences (storm, drought, flood, earthquake, etc.) or it is bound to hurt the economies and will push people back into poverty. Although an emerging market nation, India has long struggled to cope with disaster management. As the country encounters the second cyclone attack in six weeks, here is a quick look at the natural hazards that struck India throughout the year, leading to massive destruction and huge losses.
Main image: Wikipedia

Cyclone Helen
The severe cyclonic storm hit the coastal parts of Andhra Pradesh only a couple of days ago, killing at least 6 people. Around 21,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas as heavy rain lashed the coastal districts and strong gales reached the speed of 100-120 kmph. Storm and rain caused massive damage to crops and coconut plantations spread over 1.69 lakh hectares.
Image: ddinews.gov.in



Super-Cyclone Phailin
One of the most powerful tropical cyclones, Phailin hit India’s east coast in October and was expected to cause massive death and destruction. Strong winds went up to a speed of 220 kmph as it struck the shores of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. However, early warnings and the mass evacuation of nearly 900,000 people limited the death toll to 30-50. A quarter million houses were razed though, and over 860,000 hectares of cropland was destroyed. The overall damage amounted to about $150 million.
Image: Indiatimes



The Himalayan tsunami
Kedarnath town in the state of Uttarakhand was literally washed out when massive flash floods and landslides hit the valley in June this year. About 33 cm of rain fell during a cloudburst and a lake above the 8th century Kedarnath Temple burst, sending a deluge of water down the valley. Over 110,000 stranded pilgrims were rescued and the actual death toll could be close to 10,000 while 20,000 hectares of agricultural land was severely damaged in the deluge. According to a Bloomberg report based on a document from AON Benfield, economic losses due to the floods in India (mostly Uttarakhand) could be $1.1 billion and insured costs around half a million.
Image: Indiatimes



Cyclone Mahasen
The first among the three cyclones to have crossed the Indian coast this year. The south-westerly monsoon started with this tropical storm in May and affected six countries in South and South-east Asia. Cyclone Mahasen moved up from the southern Bay of Bengal and finally hit Bangladesh, but its effects could be felt in southern, eastern and north-eastern parts of India. Heavy rain lashed Meghalaya as it crossed into neighbouring Bangladesh while severe storms in Andhra Pradesh caused eight deaths and also flooded 739 hectares of farmland. In the coastal districts of Odisha, there were scattered but powerful storms, producing winds up to 72 kmph. Malkangiri saw the heaviest rainfall at 48 mm.
Image: earthobservatory.nasa.gov