Heaviest Rainfall In 50 Years Kills Hundreds In Kashmir, Nearly 50,000 Evacuated

[hatrack]

The heavily militarised region of Kashmir, shared by both India and Pakistan, has endured the worst rainfall in 50 years as flash floods took thousands by surprise, with no warning issued by India’s weather office. The current death toll stands at 400 people, with thousands still trapped on rooftops. Citizens have expressed criticism against both Indian and Pakistani authorities for the lack of preparation and response to the disaster, regardless of a similar event occurring in 2010.

On the Indian side of the Line of Control, a defensive line between Indian and Pakistani forces, 2,000 villages lay submerged, alongside the city of Srinagar. Talking to Reuters, a senior official from India’s National Disaster Response Force described the damage as “shocking,” adding, “People have been stranded on the rooftops of their homes for the last three days in some parts of Kashmir.”

Kashmir has been heavily disputed over by both Pakistan and India, with both sides expressing certain legalities regarding the rights of control. The area has subsequently become heavily guarded, with Indian forces regularly operating counter-insurgency operations beyond the border.

Around 47,000 people have already been evacuated, helped in part by the large garrison of soldiers stationed in the area. The Indian Air force has also dropped 550 tonnes of relief material, alongside 80 medical teams operating out of public buildings throughout the affected area.

EDIT

http://blueandgreentomorrow.com/2014/09/10/hundreds-dead-as-heaviest-downpour-in-50-years-rains-down-on-india-and-pakistan/

[Sopkoviak]

1. With a population explosion and rapid deforestation in the region

Is it any wonder.

Same thing occurred in Phoenix last weekend. We had rainfall totals not seen since 1971. The media went nuts reporting floods and road closures and the like. I-10 was under water for miles and made the national news in some cases.

But the difference is that in 1971 the Phoenix metro area had a population of 500,000, no freeways, fewer roads and was surrounded by agricultural land that could handle more of the the water.

Today the metro area has 4.5 million people, miles of freeway and is surrounded by suburbs with paved streets and shopping center parking lots that don't absorb rain. All that water has to go someplace so flooding of low areas happens.

You can't put 10 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket.