Nature’s Fury In Uttarakhand – Devastation Beyond Comprehension

21st June 2013 @ 8.00 pm.

Note: This post will be edited as and when extra inputs or further analysis is available.

There has been a Mayhem of destruction in Uttarakhand due to unprecedented heavy rainfall over a very large area of the State and its adjoining areas during 15th to 17th June 2013. Heavier intensity rainfall was over the Chardham area of the State viz. Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamnotri apart from Rudraprayag, Srinagar, Chamoli, Guarikund and many more places en route to these centers.

Here is an attempt to analyze what could have happened and the reason for the Mayhem and destruction that has unfolded in the last few days in Uttarakhand.

 

Rainfall Data Of Uttarakhand Districts as per IMD up to 19th June 2013

DISTRICTWISE RAINFALL DISTRIBUTION
01.06.2013 TO 19.06.2013
STATE/UT/MET.SUBDIVISION ACTUAL NORMAL     %DEP CAT.
DISTRICT (NAME)     (mm)     (mm)
STATE: UTTARAKHAND
1 ALMORA 234.4 67.1 249% E
2 BAGESHWAR 455.7 67.1 579% E
3 CHAMOLI 375.6 52.5 615% E
4 CHAMPAWAT 427.0 85.7 398% E
5 DEHRADUN 644.5 75.0 759% E
6 GARHWAL PAURI 205.1 43.9 367% E
7 GARHWAL TEHRI 356.9 61.0 485% E
8 HARDWAR 342.7 47.9 615% E
9 NAINITAL 586.2 89.8 553% E
10 PITHORAGARH 320.3 154.2 108% E
11 RUDRAPRAYAG 479.5 102.8 366% E
12 UDHAM SINGH NAGAR 206.5 70.9 191% E
13 UTTARKASHI 475.9 66.1 620% E

IMD Map showing 322 mm. of Rainfall over Uttarakhand during the week 13-06-2013 to 19-06-2013 (847% of Normal for Uttarakhand for this period)

week-rain_130613_190613

IMD Map showing 389.2 mm. of Rainfall over Uttarakhand up to 19-06-2013 (402 % of normal for Uttarakhand up to this period)

seasonal-rain_190613

Now we will compare these data with Data from some International Sources.

Experimental Real-Time TRMM Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA-RT): 3B42R

Map Showing Accumulated Rainfall From 1st June to 19th June 2013

Rainfall_Chardham_010613to190613

Experimental Real-Time TRMM Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA-RT): 3B42RT

Map Showing Accumulated Rainfall During the Recent Nature Fury From 15th June to 18th June 2013

Rainfall_Chardham_150613to180613

Experimental Real-Time TRMM Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA-RT): 3B42RT

Map Showing Accumulated Rainfall Over Chardham Area From 1st June to 19th June 2013

Rainfall_Chardham_Closeup_010613to190613

Experimental Real-Time TRMM Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA-RT): 3B42RT

Map Showing Accumulated Rainfall Over Chardham Area During Nature’s Fury From 15th June to 18th June 2013

Rainfall_Chardham_closeup_150613to180613

Note: “The images and data used in this study were acquired using the GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni) as part of the NASA’s Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC).”

What we observe is that there was substantial rainfall between 1st June & 15th June 2013 before the extremely heavy rainfall on two days between 15th June & 18th June. Maps show that there was an average rainfall of 300 mm. between 15th & 18th June over the Northern parts of the State. This is mainly the area covered by the Chardham Pilgrimage being 50 % area of the State of Uttarakhand that covers 51125 Square Kms. In short we are dealing with very heavy rainfall over an area of about 25000 Square Kms. in the most hilly terrains of the State within just two days. The quantum of rain flooded all the rivers of Uttarakhand beyond comprehension.

Google Map showing Location and Elevation of Kedarnath Dome, Kedarnath Mountain Peak and Two Slopes on its Southern side leading towards the Kedarnath Temple along with Slope from the Gandhi Sarovar -Glacial Lake.

Kedarnath_withDome_Gandhi

 

Two Slopes on the Southern side of Kedarnath Peak and Slope from the Gandhi Sarovar -Glacial Lake from where the avalanche & landslide and heavy rain deluge could have led towards the Kedarnath Temple.

Kedarnath_Avalanche_Landslide_Route_GL

Google Map showing Closeup Location of Two Slopes leading towards the Kedarnath Temple along with Slope from the Gandhi Sarovar.

Kedarnath_Closeup_Feed_Avalanche_Landslide_Route_GL

Google Map showing Closeup of the Kedarnath Temple.

Kedarnath_Temple

 The above Google Maps show the location of the Kedarnath Mountain Peak elevation of 6925 Meters, the Kedarnath Dome elevation 6824 Meters, the two slopes starting at elevation 5215 Meters & 4300 Meters leading towards the Kedarnath Temple at about 3650 Meters. One more Slope from the Gandhi Sarovar Glacial Lake elevation 4250 Meters also leads towards the Kedarnath Temple. By observing the above maps and terrain in the vicinity of the Temple we see that the Kedarnath Peak and the Kedarnath Dome are the high points of this area. Southwards of the Kedarnath Peak are two slopes both leading down towards the Kedarnath Temple along with a Slope from the Gandhi Sarovar which is closer to the Temple. Due to excess rain and also frozen rain at times over higher regions, huge quantum of water and mud was being carried downhill causing landslide on the way. One other possibilities could be breach from the Gandhi Sarovar Lake or an avalanche could have happened over the Southern side of Kedarnath Peak in higher regions thereby carrying huge amount of snow/ice along with simultaneous landslide carrying the rainwater and all the debris along as a deluge that occurred over the Kedarnath Temple.

Similarly due the excessive rainfall there were landslides and destruction of roads and infrastructure along the riversides due to huge quantum of water going downhill in all the fully flooded rivers of Uttarakhand.

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Ranji
Ranji
22/11/2013 8:36 pm

I didn’t think this 300-400 mm rain fall in 2 days is not that big for all these dissaster.It is not understandable.

We have faced morethan 1000 mm rain fall in 2 days time.

Ashish Marvania
27/06/2013 8:19 pm

અશોભાઈ નમસ્કાર,
શું ગુજરાત ઉપર પાછો આ વર્ષે પણ અલ્નીનો પ્રવાહ આવી ગયો છે ?
આત્યાર નો પવન જોતા તા ગયા વર્ષ ની ભયાનક યાદ તાજી થાય છે.
ધન્યવાદ સાથે નમસ્કાર.

dilip worah
dilip worah
24/06/2013 9:56 pm

Some word about the unusual confluence to two weather systems and their stagnation over N India and Pakistan will help people understand why it happened

Yogesh Vachhani
Yogesh Vachhani
24/06/2013 8:08 pm

A very detailed analysis.

Understanding Nature and its ways has always been out of reach of human understanding. But this article does shed light on why this happened.

Thanks for writing such an extensive article with ample images. It does help one in understanding as to why this catastrophe occurred.

ashvin
24/06/2013 3:35 pm

hal varshad no vartaro kevo chhe

Kalpesh
Kalpesh
22/06/2013 5:39 pm

થોડા દિવસો માટે ઉત્તરાખંડ માટેની આગાહી જો આપ રોજબરોજ કરી શકો તો ત્યાં રાહત કાર્ય માટે ગયેલા કાર્યકર્તાઓ ને ઉપયોગી થઇ શકે કારણકે આપની આગાહી વાસ્તવિકતાની ઘણી નજીક હોય છે

Rajesh
Rajesh
21/06/2013 10:39 pm

Exhaustive and very detailed analysis of the happening. Though totally disastrous, we need such analysis to prevent future mishaps. Being pictorial, it is easy and fast comprehension. Detailed rainfall amounts , regional wise is obtained from satellite colourisation method, and gets regional details.
400% excess in a week ! Thats massive !