NEW DELHI: To determine the exact causes of the unprecedented flood disasters in Uttarkashi district, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday asked the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to investigate the massive floods in Uttarkashi district and provide facts that could help determine the causes behind the disaster. In a separate meeting, the Union government discussed ways to enhance the state’s climate action plan to mitigate similar disasters in the future.Currently, both the Union and state governments are unsure of the causes behind the disaster. The government has not yet confirmed whether the floods were caused by a cloudburst, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), or a combination of factors, including heavy rainfall and landslides.According to IMD data, there is no evidence of a cloudburst as per its definition, which requires 100 mm or more rainfall within an hour over a 10 sqkm area. “IMD’s analysis is based on meteorological developments, but the sparse density of rain-gauge stations in the area calls their analysis into question,” an official privy to the development said. The rainfall data from all five IMD stations indicates light to moderate rainfall over the past two days.The meeting convened by the MHA included representatives from the National Disaster Management Authority, IMD and IIT Roorkee scientists. “We agreed on the need to identify the actual reasons behind the disaster to respond appropriately, as the situation is quite similar to the 2013 Uttarakhand disasters,” the official said. “It’s possible that cloudbursts occurred at a very localised level that the IMD’s observatory couldn’t detect but might be noticeable through satellite monitoring.”
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