Flood disaster factors in north India

Flood devastation on increase 

Many cities in India are facing severe flood situation, 
year after year; 
causing damage to human and property, 
eroding vast areas for ecological damages with loss of valuable flora and fauna, 
most in north Himalayan states including Kashmir.  

Srinagar flood picture thankfully shared from:www.deccanchronicle.com

In recent years, studies have revealed that many factors are involved, as if working all together, to cause this havoc of enormous magnitude.

Multiple factors:
1.Fragile Himalayan region: As this part of the Himalayan region is the world's youngest an most fragile mountain range, still in the process for formation.(1)(2)

Any severity of rain event, hits it most.

2.Climate change: Indian subcontinent is witnessing climate change due to environmental degradation. 'Indian Institute of Tropical Meterology' (B. N. Goswami, Pune) studies have confirmed that heavy rainfall events are on increase with decreasing trend in moderate rainfall in Indian subcontinent. (centre for science & environment report).

3.Naturally occurring flood channel encroached: Natural flood channels were encroached due to unplanned urban development on lake banks, causing collapse of the natural drainage system.(3)

In it's natural recourse, the flood water of lower Himalayan region was to channelize into lakes (like Dal & Nageen in Kashmir region), each lake with it's own flood discharge channels which spills flood water to drainage.

Encroachment have caused in the reduction of the size of Dal lake.

panoramic view of Dal lake
picture thankfully shared from:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dal_Lake

Construction along the Jhelum bank and in it's low lying areas have caused the blockage of discharge channels of the river.

According to 'Department of Environment and Remote Sensing Data',this region carries 1230 lakes and many water bodies (150 in Jammu and 415 in Kashmir).(4)

But massive encroachment of land by constructing buildings, have destroyed this all.
What was needed in such areas are the planned urbanization.

And so this all resulted in;
a.Massive deforestation in the Jhelum basin,
b.Excessive siltation of lake and water bodies,
c.Lakes lost the power to absorb water (wetlands and lakes acts as sponges during floods), resulting in floods.

Geographical notes:

about

Jhelum river, Wular lake, Dal lake

in Kashmir, India

(information source: courtesy Google map and Wikipedia)

Jhelum river, Wular lake and Dal lake near Srinagar sate capital of Kashmir in India (Google map courtesy)

Jhelum river

The Jhelum rises from a deep spring at Vernag, in Jammu and Kashmir state, in the Indian-administered portion of the Kashmir region. The river meanders northwestward from the northern slope of the Pir Panjal Range through the Vale of Kashmir to Wular Lake, which controls its flow.

Emerging from the lake, the Jhelum breaks through the Outer Himalayas into broad alluvial plains, The total length of the Jhelum is about 450 miles (725 km).

Dal lake

One version is that it is the remnants of a post-glacial lake, which has undergone drastic changes in size over the years and the other theory is that it is of fluvial origin from an old flood spill channel or ox-bows of the Jhelum River.

Wular lake

^{One of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia, is in Bandipora district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by the Jhelum River.}