Natural disasters are a symptom of climate change: A case study of Kedarnath in Uttarakhand
Keywords:
Catastrophes, KedarnathAbstract
Unsustainable development practises lead to climate change, which in turn causes unexpected natural disasters. The Himalayas are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Anthropogenic activities, such as population increase and widespread deforestation, have contributed to dramatic shifts in climate in recent decades. Glaciers and snow have melted over the Himalayan states as temperatures have climbed. The frequency and severity of floods in the area have been exacerbated by the region's fragile topography and the constant fluctuation of meteorological conditions. This research seeks to get better understanding of such catastrophes by examining the 2015 landslide and cloud burst in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, which led to a flash flood in the Mandakini river. Damage was extensive, with thousands of lives lost along with animals. Natural catastrophes have altered the landscape in ways that go well beyond the monetary and human costs. According to research, global warming altered regional weather patterns and eroded the Chokarbari glacier, all of which contributed to the June 2013 Kedarnath calamity.
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