Cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh

Cloudburst

• Cloudbursts are short-duration, intense rainfall events over a small area.
• It is a weather phenomenon with unexpected precipitation exceeding 100mm/h over a geographical region of approximately 20-30 square km.
• In the Indian Subcontinent, it generally occurs when a monsoon cloud drifts northward, from the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea across the plains then on to the Himalaya that sometimes brings 75 millimetres of rain per hour.

Reasons behind frequent Cloudburst in Himalayan region:

• Rugged topography:Mountainous areas offer the terrain for moisture-laden air to rise swiftly along the mountain slopes.
• Warming of oceans:Oceans are warming up fast, as a result of which moisture-rich air reaches the Himalayan region leading to cloudburst. It is likely to occur more with an increase in moisture from the Indian Ocean.

Effects of Cloudbursts

Here are some of the most important consequences of a cloudburst:

• The most visible effect of a cloudburst is landslides. A rapid downward movement of a huge mountain landmass is termed a landslide. It results in loss of life and impacts vehicle traffic. 
• Mudslides are also a very common effect of cloudbursts. It is a rapid flow of debris and dirt, which gets stronger and liquified with the addition of fast-moving water.
• These natural disasters are not only harmful to human beings but can also destroy the rich flora and fauna of a region. As large swathes of forests get flooded, a large number of animals die, and trees get uprooted. 
• Land subsidence is also a major consequence of cloudburst. Land subsidence means a rapid and sudden sinking or settling of the earth''s surface. 
• As cities, villages, and towns get destroyed by this natural disaster, another major impact that one can see is the large-scale Migration of Human beings . Therefore, it becomes challenging for the government to rehabilitate a huge displaced population in a short span of time.

Challenges with cloudbursts:

Localized: Due to their highly localized and short occurrence, most of the events go unreported, weakening the ability to understand these events in complete perspective.

Prediction: Most of the reported cloudbursts are in the interior of the Himalayas and hence predicting the location, amplitude and magnitude of such catastrophic events in advance remains a challenge.

Inability of satellites: Satellites lack the ability to detect cloudbursts because the resolution of their precipitation radars is considerably smaller than the area covered by each cloudburst event. 

Cost of Weather radars: Although they can offer timely updates, their cost is quite high.

India and Vietnam Relations

India and Vietnam, with historical roots in the common struggle for liberation from colonial rule and the national struggle for independence, share traditionally close and cordial bilateral relations. Mahatma Gandhi and Ho Chi Minh, regarded as the Father of Nation in India and Vietnam respectively, led people in their heroic struggle against colonialism in the two countries.

• India had established the Consul General’s office in Hanoi as early as 1956.
• Vietnam established its diplomatic mission in 1972.
• In 1992, They established extensive economic ties, including oil exploration, agriculture and manufacturing.
• In July 2007, relations between the two countries were elevated to the level of ‘Strategic Partnership’.
• In 2016, bilateral relations were further elevated to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”

Economic Cooperation:

• As members of Mekong Ganga cooperation, India and Vietnam have been working to enhance ties between India and Southeast Asian nations and promote development cooperation.
• Trade and Investment: In financial year 2021-22, bilateral trade between India and Vietnam posted a growth of 27% and reached USD 14.14 billion.
• India one of the top 8^thtrading partners of Vietnam. While Vietnam is the 15^th largest trading partner of India and the fourth in Southeast Asia.

Defence Cooperation

• The defence relations include capacity building, dealing with common security concerns, training of personnel, and cooperation in defence R&D.
• Indian Naval Ship INS Kiltan undertook a visit to Ho Chi Minh City in 2020 to deliver flood relief materials for the people of Central Vietnam (Mission Sagar III).
• It also participated in the PASSEX Exercise with the Vietnam People’s Navy.

Political Backing 

• India and Vietnam have supported each other in various international forums and organizations, demonstrating their commitment to global cooperation.
• Vietnam has backed India''s bid to become a permanent memberof the UNSC and join the APEC.

Recent developments in India-Vietnam relations

• India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030: The Defence Ministers signed the ‘Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030’ to bolster bilateral defence cooperation.
• A USD 500 million Defence Line of Credit has been extended to Vietnam with the implementation of the projects under it adding substantially to Vietnam’s defence capabilities and furthering the government’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World.’
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Mutual Logistics Support has been signed.

Panchvaktra temple

• Situated at the confluence of the Rivers Suketi and Beas.
• The temple stands on a huge platform and is very well furnished.
• Panchvaktra temple is a supreme shrine dedicated to Lord Shiv. T
• he temple is built in the typical Shikhara architecture style which looks astounding.
• Temple got its name from the five faced statue image of Lord Shiva, out of which only three can be seen when viewed from the front.
• It is one of the protected monuments which comes under the Archaeological Survey of India and has been declared a national site.
• Inside the Panchvaktra temple, there is a huge statue of Lord Shiv. The statue has five faces which depict about the different character of Lord Shiv- Aghora, Ishana, Tat Purusha, Vaamdeva and Rudra. Angora is the destructive nature, Ishana is omnipresent and omnipotent, Tat Purusha is his ego, Vaamdeva is the female facet and Rudra is his creative and destructive aspect. Panchvaktra is defined as the union of all these.

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The State of the World''s Mangroves 2024

• They Grow along coasts in salt marshes, tidal creeks, mud flats and estuaries.
• Salt-tolerant plant communities found in tropical and subtropical intertidal regions characterized by high rainfall (between 1,000-3,000 mm) and temperature (ranging between 260C-350C).
• West Bengal has largest mangrove cover in India. (India State of Forest Report, 2021)
• The latest world mapdeveloped by the GLOBAL MANGROOVE WATCH, provides a six fold improvement in spatial resolution. 
• It maps 147,256 km² of mangroves in 2020, adding data for six new territories. 
• Southeast Asiaholds about one-third of the world''s mangroves, with Indonesia alone accounting for 21%

Benefits of Mangroves

• Support variety of plants and animals e.g. Over 5,700 plant/animal species have been recorded in Indian mangroves.
• Acts as carbon sinks i.e. store an average of 394 tonnes of carbon per hectare. Protect coastal regions from disasters i.e. Reduce flood depths by 15- 20%, and over 70% in some areas.
• Fish and seafood sourced from mangrove ecosystems are often rich in essential nutrients like protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins (e.g. vitamins D and B12), and minerals (e.g., iron, zinc). Improves water quality through filtering pollutants and trapping sediments.

Mangrove Status in India:

• The report reveals that large swathes of mangrove forests along India''s southern coast arecritically endangered. 
• In particular, mangroves in the Lakshadweep archipelago and along the coast of Tamil Nadu face rising sea levels due to global warming. 
• On India''s western seaboard, extending from Gujarat to Kerala, mangroves are vulnerable to collapse. 
• The GMA attributes these vulnerabilities to a combination of natural threats, such as tropical storms, and human activities like shrimp aquaculture.
• According to the India State of Forest Report, 2021,India''s mangrove cover spans approximately 4,992 sq km. 
• West Bengal leads with the largest mangrove area of 2,114 sq km, followed by Gujaratwith 1,177 sq km, primarily located in the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambhat. 
• The report highlights thesignificant impact of shrimp aquaculture, which has expanded rapidly into mangrove areas, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Gujarat, causing widespread destruction of these vital ecosystems.