What is the real reason behind Himachal`s devastating flash floods?
Todays(August 01-2004) Tribune gave the following fash flood warning.
" Flood Alert in HP districts http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040801/himachal.htm
A flood alert was sounded late this evening along the banks of the Sutlej from Kinnaur to Bilaspur districts following the formation of a huge artificial lake in Tibet close to the Indo-Tibetan border. According to information reaching here a 350-m-long, 800-m-wide and 15-m-deep lake had been formed which, if breached, could cause devastating floods in the villages along the banks of the Sutlej. The lake has already started |overflowing as a result of which the water level in Pirchu, a tributary of the Sutlej, has started rising rapidly. The river enters Kinnaur from Tibet at Kaurik. The reason for formation could not be known, as Tibet is a rain-shadowed area and the monsoon does not reach the region. Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam has immediately shut down the 1500-MW Nathpa Jhakri project, the generation in which was resumed only this afternoon. The project had been closed down to protect the expensive electro-mechanical machinery from being damaged by the silt-laden water of the Sutlej. "
If we go back not so far behind in August 2000, we can recall of the flash floods that wreaked havoc in terms of life and property in himachal. Some of the news articles can be recalled.
"August 1 2000 150 die in Indian flash floods http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/862708.stm
"Nearly 150 people are believed to have died in flash floods in the northern Indian State of Himachal Pradesh, authorities in the area said. The state's chief minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal, who surveyed the area from a helicopter said the floods had taken a heavy toll of life and property. A hydroelectric power plant which is under construction in the area has also been damaged. Mr Dhumal said the floods were caused by a cloudburst in southern Tibet. "
" August 3 2000
Deforestation in Himalayas Blamed for Killer Flood http://forests.org/archive/asia/definhim.htmThe Himachal region has seen growing commercialization resulting in unplanned and haphazard development of real estate in the name of tourism. Consequently, the extensive selling of trees has gradually changed the ecological balance of the picturesque state. The flood covers a 300 kilometer (186 mile) stretch from Namgya in the Kinnaur district to Tatapani in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh state For four hours the Sutlej rose about 45 feet above normal and washed away everything in its path, changing the face of the riverbanks permanently. "
Or was it deforestration that caused the flash floods? The following is the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)`s version as reported in India today by "Shishir Gupta" on June 25th 2001."Made In China
http://www.hvk.org/hvk/articles/0601/106.html , http://www.tew.org/development/floods.triggered.htmlA detailed study carried out by ISRO scientists says the release of excess water accumulated in man-made and natural water bodies in the Sutlej and the Siang river basins in Tibet had led to the flooding.
The Sutlej is part of the Indus river system and enters India from Tibet in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The Siang is part of the mighty Brahmaputra system and enters India in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. At 1.30 a.m. on August 1, 2000 a 50-ft high wall of water tore into the mountain gorges of Kinnaur, Shimla and Mandi districts in Himachal Pradesh washing away everything that came in its path. More than 100 persons lost their lives, 120 km of the strategic Old Hindustan-Tibet highway was washed away and 98 bridges of various sizes and shapes were completely destroyed. Official estimate of the loss: Rs 200 crore."The flash floods in the two states were initially dismissed by the Centre as freak natural phenomena caused by cloudbursts. In fact, they would have become nondescript files in the National Disaster Management Cell of the Ministry of Agriculture but for ISRO's stunning revelation that the flash floods had been caused by the release of excess water that had collected in water bodies in the Sutlej and the Siang river basins in Tibet. However, China has denied this and says that there were no floods or incessant rain in Tibet at the time. The Chinese have attributed the floods to "natural" causes on the Indian side. But according to the Kinnaur district authorities, some bridges in China were also destroyed by the gushing Sutlej waters. This perhaps is not backed by facts. When the disasters struck, it was also not raining in either Himachal Pradesh or Arunachal Pradesh. This is precisely why there were no flood warnings issued by the two state governments at the time.
Here is what happened in Arunachal Pradesh on june13
" Flood causes damage in India http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/788751.stm
At least 10 people are feared to have drowned in flash floods in the north east Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.Officials say the situation this year may have been caused, in part, due to heavy rain in China, which lies to the north."
Will there be another flash flood again? We certainly don`t know for sure but its time to ask the chinese some tough questions. The blood line of indo-china border, the strategic national highway NH-22 , the 12,000 crores 1500 MW NJPC the upcoming 400+ MW Rampur hydel project and innumerable lives lying on the direct path of the unforgiving satluj river. Its very important that we give a hard second look at out of the blue flash floods.
lil belz say`s good day
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