1
Despite the fact that humans have made tremendous progress in various aspects in terms of technological growths, yet there is one area where they have not been able to surpass and that is the supremacy of Nature. Natural disasters cause massive losses of life and property and India is vulnerable to a wide range of natural hazards, particularly flooding, cyclones, drought, extreme heat waves, landslides, wildfire, and earthquakes. Time and again, we have seen and read about many natural disasters occurring in the country, which have caused a great havoc in the society, killing thousands of people and destroying lives and properties. Here are some most dangerous natural disasters that occured in India in the year 2019. (Getty images)
– – – – – – – – – Advertisement – – – – – – – – –
2
On 8 December 2019, a fire occurred at a factory building in Anaj Mandi area of Delhi, India. At least 43 people died and more than 50 were injured. The fire started in a workshop that produced school bags and shoes. The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received a call for help around 5:22 a.m. and reached the location within five minutes, but their entry to the building was prevented by the intensity of the fire and blockages to the entry points.
– – – – – – – – – Advertisement – – – – – – – – –
3
Gas cutters had to be employed to remove the iron grilles. Thirty-five fire engines reached the location and extinguished the fire with an estimated 150 firemen involved who were able to rescue 63 people. A team from the National Disaster Response Force was deployed to assist the fire department in the rescue work. (Getty Images)
4
On 8 August 2019, due to heavy rainfall in the Monsoon season, severe flood affected Kerala. As a security measure in the prevailing situation of heavy rains, the Government of Kerala had issued Red alert in the 9 districts in Northern and Central Kerala, orange alert in 3 districts of Central Kerala, and yellow alert in the 2 districts of southern Kerala. (Getty Images)
– – – – – – – – – Advertisement – – – – – – – – –
5
Thousands of people have been evacuated to safer places and relief camps. A total of 101 people have died due to rain-related incidents since 14 August 2019, These camps now host more than 2 lakh people from various parts of the state. Another deluge had hit the state in August 2018, in which over 470 people died and properties worth US$5.8 billion (₹40000 crore) were damaged.
(Getty images)
6
The 2019 Bihar floods affected 13 districts of North Bihar, India, causing 130 deaths by the end of July. 1269 panchayats (settlement councils) under 92 blocks of 13 districts of Northern Bihar were severely affected in the flood. Around 88.46 lakhs (8.846 million) people were affected. (Getty Images)
– – – – – – – – – Advertisement – – – – – – – – –
7
The 2019 Chennai water crisis is an ongoing water crisis occurring in India, most notably in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. On 19 June 2019, Chennai city officials declared that “Day Zero”, or the day when almost no water is left, had been reached, as all the four main reservoirs supplying water to the city had run dry. (Getty Images)
8
Two years of deficient monsoon rainfall, particularly in late 2017 and throughout much of 2018 had led to this crisis. Because tap water has stopped running, some families have been relying on alternative water sources such as distant, unreliable public water pumps, and costly private water tankers. (Getty Images)
9
On 3 June 2019, an Antonov An-32 twin engine turboprop transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force en route from Jorhat Airport in Assam to Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh lost contact with ground control about 33 minutes after takeoff. There were 13 people on board. After a week-long search operation, the wreckage with no survivors was found near Pari hills close to Gatte village in Arunachal Pradesh at the elevation of 12000 feet.
10
In June 2019, an outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome occurred in Muzaffarpur and the adjoining districts in Bihar state of India, amidst the second-longest heatwave in the region, resulting in deaths of more than 100 children, mainly due to hypoglycemia.
(Getty Images)
11
Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Fani is the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Indian state of Odisha since the 1999 Odisha cyclone. The second named storm and the first severe cyclonic storm of the 2019 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Fani originated from a tropical depression that formed west of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean on 26 April. Vertical wind shear at first hindered the storm’s development, but conditions became more favorable for Fani on 30 April. (Getty Images)
12
Fani rapidly intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and reached its peak intensity on 2 May as a high-end Category 4 major hurricane. Fani weakened before making its landfall, and its convective structure rapidly degraded thereafter, degenerating into a remnant low on 4 May, and dissipating on the next day.
(Getty Images)
