Context:
Cloudburst hits J&K’s Ganderbal.
Cloudbursts:
- Short spells of very heavy rainfall over a small geographical area that can cause widespread destruction.
- It is a localised but intense rainfall activity.
- Definition of cloudburst –
- Rainfall of 10 cm or more in an hour over a roughly 10km x 10km area is classified as a cloudburst event.
- By this definition, 5 cm of rainfall in a half-hour period over the same area would also be categorized as a cloudburst.
- Frequency – Not uncommon events, particularly during the monsoon months.
- Mostly happens in the Himalayan states
- Facilitated by – Local topology, wind systems, and temperature gradients between the lower and upper atmosphere
- Consequences – Can trigger landslides and flash floods
- Forecasting of Cloudbursts – Specific cloudburst events cannot be forecast, as forecasts get more and more uncertain for smaller areas.
- It requires a very dense network of weather instruments, and computing capabilities that seem unfeasible with current technologies.
Source: Hindustan Times
Previous Year Question
The 2004 Tsunami made people realise that mangroves can serve as a reliable safety hedge against coastal calamities. How do mangroves function as a safety hedge?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2011 Prelims]
(a) The mangrove swamps separate the human settlements from the sea by a wide zone in which people neither live nor venture out.
(b) The mangroves provide both food and medicines which people are in need of after any natural disaster.
(c) The mangrove trees are tall with dense canopies and serve as an excellent shelter during a cyclone or Tsunami.
(d) The mangrove trees do not get uprooted by storms and tides because of their extensive roots
Answer: (d)
