19-11-2025 Mains Question Answer
Highlight the meteorological hazards of the Himalayan region.
Meteorological hazards, defined as extreme weather events and atmospheric conditions, pose significant risks in the Himalayan region due to its unique orographic features and climatic sensitivity as it is one of the world’s most dynamic and fragile mountain systems. It faces numerous meteorological hazards that pose significant challenges to both human settlements and ecosystems.
Major Meteorological Hazards
| Heavy Rainfall and Cloudbursts | The region experiences extreme precipitation variations, with areas like Darjeeling receiving around 3050 mm rainfall annually and Ladakh receiving merely around 75-150 mm annually. |
| Orographic Lifting: Sudden upliftment of moisture-laden air masses along steep mountain slopes triggers intense localized precipitation | |
| Cloudbursts frequently occur during monsoons, causing flash floods and devastating impacts on local communities. Example- recent cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh. | |
| The IMD’s 2025 forecast predicts above–normal monsoon rainfall, increasing the risk of intense precipitation events. | |
| Avalanches and Snow- Related Hazards | Heavy snowfall in higher altitudes leads to dangerous avalanches, particularly threatening during winter months. |
| Snow accumulation affects transportation networks and isolates communities in high-altitude areas. | |
| Formation of ice sheets and glacial crevasses pose risks to both locals and mountaineers. Locals may face problems like ice breaking off suddenly or flooding from melting ice. Mountaineers risk falling into hidden cracks, especially when snow covers them. | |
| Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) | Sudden release of water from glacial lakes due to moraine dam failure. South Lhonak Lake (Sikkim, 2023) is a recent example. |
| Climate change-induced glacial melting increases the frequency and intensity of GLOFs. | |
| These events cause catastrophic flooding downstream, affecting infrastructure and settlements. | |
| Landslides and Slope Failures | The combination of steep slopes, geological instability, and intense rainfall triggers frequent landslides. 80% of landslides occur during monsoon months due to soil saturation |
| Example: Frequent landslides in Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand, Recent landslides during Amarnath Yatra in J&K. | |
| Temperature Extremes | Unusual warming trends observed even in high-altitude zones. |
| Accelerates glacial melt and destabilizes permafrost zones |
The meteorological hazards in the Himalayan region are intensifying due to climate change impacts, requiring robust disaster management strategies and early warning systems like installation of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and satellite based early warning mechanisms.
The region’s vulnerability demands international cooperation and scientific research to mitigate these risks effectively, particularly through initiatives like the National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) and Indian Himalayan Central University Consortium.