Context

• Sudden, “highly-localised rains” in Amarnath, Jammu and Kashmir, caused flooding and led to the
deaths of at least 16 people and injuries to more than 20 others.
Points to Know
• Cloudburst brings sudden and intense rainfall within a limited and short period of time over a
limited area that causes flash floods in the region where they occur.
• As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Cloudburst is an event where 100 millimetres
of rainfall occurs in a span of 60 minutes over an area of 20 to 30 square kilometers.
• Cloudbursts usually occur at elevated places ranging around 1000-2500 metres above mean sea
level.
Basics

Orographic Lift of Warm Air mass

Process of Occurrence of Cloudbursts
Points to Know
• In the region of closely spaced hills, the moisture laden winds are forced to rush up to the higher
reaches of the mountains which leads to the formation of cumulonimbus clouds that are vertical
and long in shape.
• Such clouds are associated with thunderstorms and torrential rainfall.
• However, the rainfall happens over a smaller area between the mountains inside the valleys which
is the main cause for the flash floods to happen.
Cloudbursts and Climate Change
• Points to Know
• Recently the frequency of cloudburst has been increasing and the experts are linking this with global
warming and climate change.
• The extreme weather events in the Himalayan regions along with anthropogenic activities like
deforestation and developmental activities are all related to the occurrence of such geophysical
phenomena.
Additional Mains Question : With reference to National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) guidelines, discuss the measures to be adopted to mitigate the impact of
cloudbursts in the country.
Introduction
• The intensity of cloudburst is increasing in India. We have witnessed another cloudburst recently in
Amarnath. It is a weather phenomenon with unexpected precipitation exceeding 100mm/h over a
geographical region of approximately 20-30 square km. In the Indian Subcontinent, it generally
occurs when a monsoon cloud drifts northwards, from the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea across
the plains than onto the Himalayas sometimes brings 75 millimetres of rain per hour.
• A rainfall of 50 mm or more within two hours can also be called a mini cloudburst.
• Increasing incidents of cloudbursts in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand
are also clear evidence of climate change.
Guidelines to mitigate the impact of cloudburst with reference to NDMA:
• Detecting cloud bursts is a difficult task as it covers small areas so precaution will go a long way in
lessening the damage.
• Unlike cyclones, forecasting a cloudburst is mission impossible due to the very dynamics of rapid
developing cloud cover.
NDMA guidelines suggest taking a holistic and integrated approach in case of Disaster
management events :
• It emphasizes building strategic partnerships at strategic levels.
• Community-based disaster management, including last mile integration of the policy, plans and
execution will be required.
• Past initiatives taken as precautionary measures or responsive actions can be consolidated and best
practices can be adopted to reduce the calamity.
• Stopping haphazard construction in hilly areas.
• Preventing encroachment of riverbeds.
• Afforestation to prevent landslides in hilly areas and minimize the damage.
• Early warning system to evacuate people on time.
• The large scale features, which are conducive for occurrence of severe thunderstorms associated
with cloudburst, are predictable two to three days in advance.
• However, the specific location and time of cloud burst can be predicted in NOWCAST mode only,
i.e. a few hours in advance, when the genesis of thunderstorm has already commenced. To detect
 these sudden developments, a Doppler Weather Radar (DWR), a powerful tool for time and location
specific prediction of cloudburst, can be deployed a few hours in advance.
• Coupled with satellite imagery this can prove to be useful inputs for extrapolation of cloudbursts
anywhere in India.
Conclusion:
• There is no satisfactory technique for anticipating the occurrence of cloud bursts because they
develop over a small period of time. Only the areas likely to receive heavy rainfall can be identified
on a short-range scale.
• Much of the damage can be avoided by way of identifying the areas and the meteorological
situations that favor the occurrence of cloud bursts. The damaged ground must be replanted as soon
as possible since erosion caused by loss of ground soil cover can lead to flash flooding and
additional landslides in the near future
PYQ ( UPSC – 2019)
Why are dewdrops not formed on a Cloudy night?
A. Clouds absorb the radiation released from the Earth’s surface.
B. Clouds reflect back the Earth’s radiation.
C. The Earth’s surface would have a low temperature on cloudy nights.
D. Clouds deflect the blowing wind to ground level.
During the thunderstorm, the thunder in the skies is produced by the meeting of cumulonimbus clouds in
the sky
1. Lightning that separates the nimbus clouds
2. Violent upward movement of air and water particles
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A. 1 only
B. 2 and 3
C. 1 and 3
D. None of the above produces the thunder