NEW DELHI: Climate change is making extreme rainfall events in the Himalayan region more frequent and intense, while human activity is also increasing the risk of disasters, the Centre told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.Minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai said assessments by weather experts, scientific institutions and state authorities had found a link between climate change and the worsening intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall events in the Himalayas.The response came to a question on whether climate change and unscientific construction were contributing to the rising incidence of cloudbursts and other disasters in Himachal Pradesh.Rai cited findings of a Multi-Sectoral Central Team (MSCT), which was formed to examine the increasing frequency and severity of cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides and extreme rainfall in the state. The team includes experts from the National Disaster Management Authority, Central Building Research Institute, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, IIT Indore and other agencies.Inputs from the India Meteorological Department, Central Water Commission and Geological Survey of India have also been considered as part of the assessment.The MSCT is examining the causes behind the increase in extreme weather events, including the geographical and ground conditions of the worst-hit areas and data provided by various government agencies. It will also recommend long-term steps to reduce the impact of such disasters, Rai said.
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The Centre said faster snowmelt was another factor contributing to increased runoff in high-altitude areas. Rapid melting can send large volumes of water into already vulnerable mountain terrain, increasing downstream flows.The government also flagged moraine instability as a factor behind off-season slope failures and heavy runoff. Moraines are deposits of loose rock, soil and other debris left behind by glaciers, which can become unstable and trigger slope failures and the movement of water and debris.Based on inputs from news agency PTI
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