Last month’s flood tragedy in the Indian state of Uttarakhand bordering Nepal killed thousands who were on pilgrimage there. Massive cloudbursts over western Nepal and the neighbouring Indian state of Uttarakhand in mid-June unleashed the total average monthly rainfall in a short span of 24 hours. An early arrival of monsoon in South Asia brought rainfall into western Nepal through India’s southwestern coast of Maharastra and Gujarat. As a result, both high mountain border towns Darchula and Dharchula (India) on adjacent sides of the Mahakali River experienced serious damage and loss of life.
An interaction program organised in Patan Dhoka by Himal Khabarpatrika and PAHAR (People's Association for Himalaya Area Research) an organisation based in Uttarakhand dedicated to raising awareness of the fragile Himalayan environment on Monday brought together journalists and locals from the bordering towns to discuss the recent tragedy. “The erratic precipitation might be linked to climate change but we still need scientific research to prove it,” said Shekhar Pathak of PAHAR.
In the last decade Uttarakhand has witnessed a spur of hydro-project constructions, unplanned housing right till the footsteps of Kedarnath temple and dense population living very close to the river banks.
One of the biggest projects, the 400MW Vishnuprayag Hydroelectric Project across the Alaknanda River near Joshimath in Uttarakhand has been blamed for wiping out Lambagad village market below. According to Pathak the local residents alleged that the flood water formed a two km reservoir upstream the dam. Pressure from the water broke the dam and went on to wipe out Lambagad village market.
Uttarakhand received 401.8 mm of weighted mean rainfall in June, which is about three and a half times more than normal level. While the state government’s official death toll hovers around 6,000 with thousands still missing, Uttarakhand locals like Shekhar Pathak believe the death toll to be at least four times higher. “Kedarnath alone has more than 20,000 pilgrims daily during June, so obviously the government’s figures are distorted,” says Pathak. “The flood was a natural disaster but the death toll was man made.”