QUESTION 6
GS1
10 marks
What is the phenomenon of 'cloudbursts'? Explain.
WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
What the examiner wants
Explain what a cloudburst is, how it happens and why it is common in Himalayan India.
ExplainMake clear how and why it happens: causes, process, and an example for each point.
Demand-wise check
- 1Definition: rainfall of about 100 mm or more in an hour over a small area (IMD)≈35 words
- 2Mechanism: orographic lift, moisture convergence, strong updrafts holding water, sudden release≈35 words
- 3Indian examples and impact: Kedarnath 2013, Himachal 2023, Wayanad-type extreme rain events≈35 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
DefinitionMechanismWhy HimalayasExamplesMitigationConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Defining cloudburst as just 'heavy rain'
- No Indian example
Draw this
- Diagram of moist air rising up a mountain slope and releasing rain suddenly
Value addition
- DefinitionIMD defines a cloudburst as rainfall of 10 cm or more in an hour over an area of about 20–30 sq km.India Meteorological Department
- ExampleThe 2013 Kedarnath disaster followed extreme rain and a breach of Chorabari lake.NDMA report on Uttarakhand 2013
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.