Scientists Explain Cloudburst Cause in Mountains, Issue Warning on Altering Weather Trends

Nainital (The Uttam Hindu): The uncontrolled construction going on in a sensitive hill state like Uttarakhand is now becoming a danger signal for nature. The horrific scene of Dharali is still frightening. The uncontrolled construction of buildings and roads in these mountain areas rich in natural beauty and biodiversity is not only disturbing the environmental balance but is also becoming a major cause of disaster. Senior scientists of Nainital-based ARIES have warned that such activities can increase incidents like cloudburst in the mountains manifold.

According to experts, the soil of the mountains is already weak. Due to large-scale construction by cutting the mountains, the water holding capacity of the soil is decreasing and the local climate system is becoming unbalanced. This is having a direct impact on the weather pattern. Now in the mountainous regions, 'local cloud formation' i.e. the accumulation of abnormal clouds at the local level is increasing. Such clouds form at a relatively low altitude and suddenly burst at one place with heavy rain, causing massive destruction. Aries meteorologist Narendra Singh says that construction work affects nature not only directly but also indirectly. He said that radiation comes out from every construction, which goes into the atmosphere and increases the temperature. The average temperature of the area where more construction takes place is found to be higher than the surrounding areas. This temperature increase also changes the way clouds form and rain. The combined effect of global warming, deforestation and indiscriminate construction is now clearly visible on the mountains. Earlier, where clouds used to form in months and give light rain, now they suddenly gather in a few hours and cause massive destruction.

Experts warn that if this pace does not stop, then in the coming years, the incidents of cloudburst and landslides may increase manifold in Uttarakhand and other Himalayan states. Local environmentalists also believe that now the time has come to strike a balance between development and environment. Planned and sustainable construction, conservation of forests and strict control on construction in hilly areas are the only ways to avoid this crisis. Otherwise, not only the beauty of the mountains, but also the lives there will be in serious danger.