11 dead due to extreme rainfall and flooding in Delhi NCR
On the night of June 27th, extreme rainfall and flooding swept through Delhi and the National Capital Region.
This was the result of an intense and rapid onset of the southwest monsoon, coupled with an active western disturbance.
The sudden heavy rain has caused 11 deaths in the capital city of New Delhi, including four citizens who drowned in submerged underpasses.
Such interactions between the southwest monsoon and western disturbances which were rare, are now becoming more frequent due to changes in the character of these disturbances.
The Safdarjung observatory recorded 228 millimeters of rainfall up till 8:30 am on June 28, marking the second highest June rainfall recorded at the observatory since 1936.
The primary cause of this extreme weather was the onset of the southwest monsoon on June 28. The onset was quite rapid and intense after the long hiatus from early to mid-June.
“The eastern edge of the trough curled up rapidly as the western edge jumped forward to the north as well. It was stuck around Mumbai for almost two weeks,” Raghu Murtugudde, a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and emeritus professor at the University of Maryland, told DTE.
But there were other factors as well, one of which was the presence of a Western Disturbance and an associated cyclonic circulation over the region.
Western Disturbances are extra-tropical storms that travel along the subtropical jet stream, bringing the majority of seasonal and extreme precipitation to the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and western Himalayas in the winter months. These moisture-laden storms are vital for the region’s water security and agriculture. However, Western Disturbances now appear more frequently during summer than before.
An analysis published in the journal Weather and Climate Dynamics indicates that western disturbances have been twice as common in June over the past 20 years compared to the previous 50 years. This change is linked to a strengthening subtropical jet stream.
As the region braces for more rainfall, the focus remains on mitigating the impacts and ensuring the safety of those affected by these extreme weather events.
Down to Earth is Science and Environment fortnightly published by the Society for Environmental Communication, New Delhi. We publish news and analysis on issues that deal with sustainable development, which we scan through the eyes of science and environment.
Смотрите видео 11 dead due to extreme rainfall and flooding in Delhi NCR онлайн без регистрации, длительностью часов минут секунд в хорошем качестве. Это видео добавил пользователь Down To Earth 01 Июль 2024, не забудьте поделиться им ссылкой с друзьями и знакомыми, на нашем сайте его посмотрели 14,360 раз и оно понравилось 254 людям.