Water-Related Hazards: India's Experiences

by K. S. Murty,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: North American Water and Environment Congress & Destructive Water

Abstract:

The geographical position of India (N 8? and 37?; E 70? and 97?) and its physical features are such that a variety of climatic conditions prevail over different parts of the country. Its coast line is more than 6,000 km long, the east and west coasts are almost equal. It has broadly four river basin systems?major, medium, minor, and desert. The total quantity in these systems has been estimated at 1,645,000 m.cu.m. The Ganga, the Yamuna, and the Brabmaputra Rivers are in the extra peninsular region and originate in the Himalayas. Hardly a year passes when these rivers do not experience floods during the monsoon season between June and September. The southern rivers also have floods, but not on such a scale. Every year, about 10 million hectare of uncropped land and 3,8 m.ha of cropped land supporting about 3 percent of the population is affected by these floods. The loss and damage is valued at an average of 15,000 million rupees in addition to the loss of life.

Subject Headings: Rivers and streams | Floods | Developing countries | Basins | Water policy | Seasonal variations | River systems | India | Asia | Himalayas

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