GEOGRAPHY PROJECT Grade 9

GEOGRAPHY PROJECT GRADE 9
NATURAL DISASTERS:
Flash Floods
INTRODUCTION
A natural disaster is characterized by the abnormal
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intensity of a natural agent when the usual measures to be
taken to prevent this damage were not able to prevent their
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emergence or were not able to be taken.
A natural disaster is a catastrophic event caused by the
Earth's natural forces.It can also be caused because of
human intent or error.
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Some examples of natural disasters earthquakes,
avalanches,flood ,Groundwater poisoning,volcanic eruption
etc.
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Such disasters cannot be stopped but can only be

prevented
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TYPES OF NATURAL DISASTERS
Earthquakes
When the Earth's crust releases energy suddenly, causing
the Earth's surface to shake. Earthquakes can cause a lot
of loss of life and property worldwide.
Hurricanes
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A hurricane is a tropical cyclone, a rotating low-pressure
weather system that forms over tropical or subtropical
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waters and has sustained winds of at least 74 miles per
hour
Hydrological disasters
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Hazards caused by hydrological processes are known as
hydrological hazards. Floods, droughts, mudslides, and
tsunamis are examples of natural disasters. Floods and
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droughts may cause havoc on agriculture and are one of

the leading causes of famine.
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Tornadoes
Form when warm and cold air collide during
thunderstorms, causing the wind to spin in a circle.
Tornadoes are rotating, funnel-shaped clouds that form as
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a result of intense thunderstorms. With powerful winds

averaging 30 miles per hour, they extend from a
thunderstorm to the ground.
Geological hazards
Geological hazards or dangers caused by geological (i.e.,
Earth) processes, such as plate tectonics, are a type of
risk. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are examples of
this. In general, geological extreme events are beyond
human control, however, humans have a significant impact
on the events’ consequences.
Biological disasters
Biological dangers are those that arise as a result of
biological processes. This comprises a wide range of
diseases, including infectious diseases that move from
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person to person and pose a significant threat to vast
populations of people.
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Meteorological disasters
Hazards caused by meteorological (i.e., weather)
phenomena, particularly those related to temperature and
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wind, are known as meteorological hazards. Heat waves,
cold waves, cyclones, hurricanes, and freezing rain are all
examples of this.
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FLASH FLOODS
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Definition
flood caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short
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period of time, generally less than 6 hours.Flash floods

occur when heavy rainfall exceeds the ability of the ground
to absorb it. Flash floods are usually characterized by
raging torrents after heavy rains that rip through river
beds, urban streets, or mountain canyons sweeping
everything before them.
They can occur within minutes or a few hours of excessive
rainfall. They can also occur even if no rain has fallen, for
instance after a levee or dam has failed, or after a sudden
release of water by a debris or ice jam.
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Causes
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1. The two key elements are rainfall intensity and

duration. Intensity is the rate of rainfall, and duration is
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how long the rain lasts. Topography, soil conditions,

and ground cover also play an important role.
2. Most flash flooding is caused by slow-moving
thunderstorms, thunderstorms repeatedly moving over
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the same area, or heavy rains from hurricanes and

tropical storms.
3. Occasionally, floating debris or ice can accumulate at
a natural or man-made obstruction and restrict the
flow of water. Water held back by the ice jam or debris
dam can cause flooding upstream. Subsequent flash
flooding can occur downstream if the obstruction
should suddenly release.
4. Flash floods occur within a few minutes or hours of
excessive rainfall, a dam or levee failure, or a sudden
release of water held by an ice jam.
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Effects
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There can be various affects of Falsh floods
1. Economic Losses
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Depending on the damage caused, it may prevent local

businesses from opening or keep customers from
getting to those businesses.
2. Damage to infrastructure-Flash floods can damage or

destroy power, telephone, and cable lines, as well as
wastewater, electricity, sewerage, and
telecommunications.
3. Contaminated water-Flood waters can disrupt or
contaminate ground water, making tap water unfit for
consumption. Floodwater can also be contaminated
with pollutants such as n agricultural pesticidesetc
4. Deposited debris -Flood waters carry along with them
sand, silt, and other debris as they travel. When the
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velocity of the flash flood slows, it begins depositing
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this debris, which can make travel difficult and can be
costly to remove.
5. Landslides-Flash flood-producing rains can also
trigger catastrophic mud slides.
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6. Loss of life-Throughout history, many have lost their
lives as a result of rapid floods, or events caused by
severe flooding such as landslides and collapsed
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infrastructure.
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CASESTUDY:SIKKIM FLASH FLOODS

On 4 October 2023, heavy rains caused the glacial South
Lhonak lake in Sikkim, a state in northeastern India, to
breach its banks, causing a glacial lake outburst flood. The
flood reached the Teesta III Dam at Chungthang at
midnight, before its gates could be opened, destroying the
dam in minutes. Water levels downstream in the River Teesta
rose by up to 20 feet (6.1 m), causing widespread damage.
92 people were confirmed dead in the Sikkim flash floods,
with more bodies still being retrieved.
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The main highway that linked Sikkim to the rest of India was
completely destroyed.
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ORIGIN
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The flash floods in Sikkim on October 4, 2023 were caused

by a combination of heavy rainfall and a Glacial Lake
Outburst Flood (GLOF) event at South Lhonak Lake in North
Sikkim.
The lake, which is located at an elevation of 17,000 feet above
sea level, breached its banks and flooded the Teesta river
basin.Sikkim Being a place with over a 100 rivers and
streams including the two main rivers teesta and rangeet ,
the heavy rainfall resulted in the banks quickly overflowing
without the land having enough time to absorb any of the
waters
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Causes
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The causes of the flash floods have varios reasons behind
them
1. GLOF and excess rainfall

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The National Disaster Management Authority said the

primary reason for the sudden surge in water level appears
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to be a likely combination of excess rainfall and GLOF
2. Sikkim prone to rough weather

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The Himalayan Ranges are host to many glacial lakes,

estimated through remote sensing techniques at about
7,500. . Further, this region is known for highly localised
heavy rainfall events.
3. Melting of glaciers
South Lhonak lake is a glacial-moraine-dammed lake,
located in Sikkim's far northwestern region. It is one of the
fastest expanding lakes in the Sikkim Himalaya region, and
one of the 14 potentially dangerous lakes susceptible to
GLOF
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4. Nepal earthquake triggered Sikkim disaster.
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the massive earthquake that struck Nepal on October 4,

2023, may have triggered a flash flood in Sikkim's Teesta
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River basin the next day.
The scientists beilieave that bthe vast effect of the

earthqueake in Napal has affected Sikkim a lot.
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EFFECTS
The flash floods in Sikkim on October 4, 2023, caused

widespread destruction, affecting around 88,000 people:
● Deaths: At least 94 people died, and 76 people are still
missing
● Displacement: 2,563 people were displaced into 21 relief
camps
● Damaged infrastructure: 1,825 houses were damaged,
15 bridges were washed away, and parts of National
Highway 10 collapsed
● Destroyed infrastructure: The Chungthang Dam, water
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pipelines, sewage lines, and 277 houses were destroyed
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● Stranded tourists: 3,000 tourists were stranded across
the state
● Hydel Projects: The flash floods has had a lot of affect
on the hydel projects which were being carried on in
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sikkim
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CONCLUSION
Natural disaster can be caused by Nature and man. flash
floods caused by heavy rainfall which can lead to
devastating consequences like economic losses, damaged
infrastructure, deposited debris, landslides, and loss of life.
The recent case of flash floods in Sikkim, triggered by heavy
rainfall and GLOF, resulted in significant damage, including
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loss of life, displacement of people, destruction of
infrastructure etc. These events emphasize the =importance
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of disaster preparedness, mitigation efforts, and
sustainable development practices to minimize their impact
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on communities and the environment.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://www.weather.gov/pbz/floods
https://www.indiatoday.in/
https://www.tetoncountywy.gov/
https://en.wikipedia.org/
https://byjus.com/
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/
https://reliefweb.in
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https://www.britannica.com/
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GEOGRAPHY PROJECT Grade 9

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GEOGRAPHY PROJECT GRADE 9

A natural disaster is characterized by the abnormal

Such disasters cannot be stopped but can only be

droughts may cause havoc on agriculture and are one of

a result of intense thunderstorms. With powerful winds

period of time, generally less than 6 hours.Flash floods

1. The two key elements are rainfall intensity and

how long the rain lasts. Topography, soil conditions,

the same area, or heavy rains from hurricanes and

There can be various affects of Falsh floods

Depending on the damage caused, it may prevent local

2. Damage to infrastructure-Flash floods can damage or

CASESTUDY:SIKKIM FLASH FLOODS

The flash floods in Sikkim on October 4, 2023 were caused

1. GLOF and excess rainfall

The National Disaster Management Authority said the

to be a likely combination of excess rainfall and GLOF

2. Sikkim prone to rough weather

The Himalayan Ranges are host to many glacial lakes,

the massive earthquake that struck Nepal on October 4,

River basin the next day.

The scientists beilieave that bthe vast effect of the

The flash floods in Sikkim on October 4, 2023, caused

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