LEDC - North India floods, 2013

3.6.2 MEDC - Central Europe floods, 2013

LEDC - North India floods, 2013

  1. Overview

    1. In June, a multi-day cloudburst centred on the north Indian state of Uttarakhand caused devastating floods & landslides

  2. Impacts

    1. Primary

      1. 5700 people died
      2. Over 350 houses were destroyed
      3. Infrastructure was damaged, including 60 miles of roads & bridges
      4. The land was left infertile so crops were lost
      5. Debris from a hydroelectric power plant damaged a local habitat for fish and birds

    2. Secondary

      1. Damage to infrastructure hindered evacuation and left 100 thousand pilgrims stranded at pilgrimage sites
      2. Shortage of crop supply caused local prices to inflate
      3. Dead bodies in Kedarnath polluted the water and caused diseases, such as fever & diarrhoea

  3. Responses

    1. Short-term

      1. The Indian Air Force, the Indian Army and paramilitary troops evacuated over 110 thousand people
      2. The Indo Tibetan Border Police evacuated over 33 thousand pilgrims and distributed food packets
      3. Temporary shelters were supplied for the survivors

    2. Long-term

      1. Over $160 thousand were pledged for relief efforts
      2. Local youths near Gagotri helped starnded tourists & pilgrims by providing food and sending messages to their relatives
      3. Various pilgrimages were cancelled to deal with the damage
      4. Wood was provided for a mass cremation in order to prevent disease
      5. The damaged buildings were rebuilt
      6. Research was begun into long-term forecasting of monsoons