Changing rainfall pattern linked to landslides in U'khand: Expert

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A change in the pattern and intensity of rainfall like the lack of long periods of widespread rainfall in Uttarakhand has emerged as an important reason for the increase in landslide incidents in the hill state this monsoon.

Dr Sunil Nautiyal, Director of Almora-based GB Pant National Himalayan Environment Institute, said that due to the change in the pattern of rainfall linked to climate change factors and the decreasing capacity of the fragile Himalayan region to withstand it, more landslides have occurred this monsoon.

"This year widespread rain has occurred only between September 13 and 15, otherwise it remained at local levels throughout the monsoon," he said.

Meteorological Department sources in Uttarakhand said that this year an average of 102 mm of rain was recorded in three days between September 13 and 15 and it had occurred widely.

Nautiyal said, "Apart from this, there has been a change in the pattern of rainfall in the Himalayan region. Now it starts raining suddenly and the rain that used to happen in the months of June and July is happening in mid-September".

He said that the increasing fragility of the central Himalayan region and the change in the pattern of rainfall due to many factors are being studied in his institute.

Nautiyal said that there is a need for other institutes to study this together and that efforts being made by only one institute in this direction will not be enough.

He said, "Forest fires are also a reason due to which more than average landslides have occurred this monsoon. Forest fires burn herbs and grasses, which weakens the soil layer and fails to stop the flow of water. This leads to landslides.'

He said that the monsoon rains are also occurring in fragments due to the deteriorating local ecology of the Himalayan region.

Nautiyal said, 'We have many places like Jaddhar forest in Garhwal region and Shitalakhet forest in Kumaon where the local ecology is still intact due to the dense forests around them which contribute to early and heavy rainfall in the monsoon.'

He said that local-level participation and local governance have played a big role in preserving and improving the ecological health of the Jaddhar and Shitalakhet forests.

He said that the National Mission for Sustainable Himalayan Ecosystem, one of the eight main missions launched by the Government of India, is successfully working towards recovering the local ecology in the Himalayan region.

According to the scientist, people have abandoned agriculture because of damage to crops in the mountains due to climate change.

Nautiyal said that we have to study the adverse effect of weather on Himalayan agriculture and for this many agencies will have to come together.