Skies above the disaster hit-Uttarakhand continue to be deceptively silent the morning after but may change a bit with the arrival this (Monday) evening of a feeble western disturbance from across the international border, the main weather-maker over the hills and plains of North-West India during winter.
A remnant westerly system that had brought rain and snow into the hills has moved away to the East as it should, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) locating it on Monday morning lying across Dacca (Bangladesh); Thimphu (Bhutan); and Baingoin (Tibet Autonomous Region).
Toll climbs to 10 in Uttarakhand glacier burst
Isolated rain, snow forecast
The IMD said that the incoming feeble westerly system would cause isolated rainfall/snowfall over Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh tomorrow (Tuesday) and over North Uttarakhand on both Tuesday and Wednesday. The forecast valid for Chamoli district in Uttarakhand is as follows: Monday: Mainly dry weather with no rainfall/snowfall. Tuesday: Light rainfall/snowfall (up to 1.5 cm) over the northern parts of district commencing from evening. Wednesday: Light rainfall/snowfall likely over the northern parts of district likely to continue till forenoon. Forecast for Tapovan, Joshimath for both days: Cloudy sky. Mainly dry weather to prevail with no rainfall/snowfall.
However, dense fog has been forecast in isolated pockets very likely over Uttarakhand and towards further East and South-East over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during the morning hours of Wednesday. Cold wave conditions are forecast for part of Odisha on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
India is not prepared for natural disasters
Avalanche warning bulletin
An avalanche warning bulletin from the Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment on Sunday evening had declared danger level 2 over an area covering Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu in Himachal Pradesh at an altitude of above 2,900 metres and valid until 5 pm on Monday.
Danger level 2 warning indicates partly unsafe conditions with small size triggering possible on a few extreme slopes, warranting care for movements along the valley and advising nil movement along slopes. There was no specific warning on Monday for Uttarakhand that witnessed the disaster on Sunday.
