Uttarakhand Floods
A man-made tragedy fueled by nature
Origin
The Causes of the Floods
- Unplanned development that was destroying the ecology of the mountains.
- Exponential increase in the number off vehicles
- Change in the Day-Night temperature.
- Insufficient Resources
- Absence of tourism management
- Non-existent governing authority
- No crowd Management
- Reduction in forest cover
- Inaccurate and incomplete prediction by the Met department
Kedarnath
Steps taken by the government and the local community.
The Prime Minister of India undertook an aerial survey of the affected areas and announced 10 billion (US$170 million) aid package for disaster relief efforts in the state.Several state governments announced financial assistance, with Uttar Pradesh pledging 250 million (US$4.2 million), the governments of Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi 100 million (US$1.7 million) each, the governments of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh 50 million (US$840,000) each. The US Ambassador to India extended a financial help of USD $150,000 through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the NGOs working in the area and announced that the US will provide further financial aid of USD $75,000.
The Government of India also cancelled 9 batches, or half the annual batches of the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, a Hindu pilgrimage. The Chardham Yatra pilgrimage, covering Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath was cancelled for 2 years to repair damaged roads and infrastructure, according to the Uttarakhand Government.
Government agencies and priests of Kedarnath temple were planning mass cremation of the hundreds of victims, after one week of tragedy.Local youths from several affected villages near Gangotri helped stranded tourists and pilgrims, by sending messages to their places and by providing food. Rescuers also retrieved approximately 10 million (US$170,000) and other jewellery from local persons, including some people dressed like sadhu babas, who reportedly collected it from a destroyed building of a Bank and damaged shops.