FLOODS OR EARTHQUAKES : WRATH OF NATURE CONTINUES

Anatural calamity or disaster resulting from natural processes over the earth surface and below, leads to unthinkable chaos, devastation and loss of property, human and animal life.

Common or frequently occurring ones are : Earth quakes, volcanoes, floods, landslides, Cyclones & Hurricanes, drought, forest fires, avalanches,Tsunamis etc. Last named having no fixed time, keeps on creating havoc in Japan, China,Thailand, Malaysia, Philipines, Indian Ocean region etc.,every now and then.

No spot on earth is immune from a natural calamity. These have been noticed in almost all countries in the past and there is no guarantee that these will not occur in future.

According to a study, about fifty thousand earthquakes occur annually over entire earth.These have resulted into millions of deaths and incalculable amount of damage to property.

Notable Natural calamities of recent past are :

• Earth quake in Kobe in Japan in 1995

• Tsunami in Indian Ocean zone in 2004

• Hurricane Katrina in U.S.A. in 2005

• Earthquake in Sichuan area in China in 2008, Earthquake in Haiti in 2010

• Floods in Pakistan in 2022

While majority of these happenings are caused by developments below the surface of earth, it may noted that a natural calamity may be also caused by weather and climate events as also shifts in precipitation patterns.

Except Earthquake, all can be predicted. Unlike in past, many specialised institutes, organisations and disaster response forces have been set up in many countries over a period of time to monitor specific physical forces that are capable of causing most deadly disasters.They share data and issue warnings in a regular way.It helps in containing, if not in controlling a calamity.

Heat Wave In Europe

To move ahead, unusual heat wave, presumably due to Global Warming, had taken place in 2025 in India and many European countries. Record breaking heat was felt even on hill stations. Rivers and lakes too experienced dry spells. Breaking of ice bergs was seen and snow cover was on decline in many places , located close to snow line. Possibly habitat loss and extinction of species too took place.

As people were not used to heat conditions of the kind of Africa or Asia, even a maximum temperature of 37 to 40 degrees proved unbearable for people in Portugal, Spain, Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy. Not only life was disrupted, many lives were lost also.

Similar experience was repeated in 2026 in more countries of Europe and many states of U.S.A. On top of it , a few countries had to face large scale forest fires also.

Technology used in building houses was rightly debated as these units suited to cold conditions did not have scope for ventilation at night. Also demand for fans, Air coolers, A.C.’s etc.could not be met immediately from local European markets.

Indian Flood Scenario in 2026

No doubt floods and flash floods are caused in most parts of the country year after year but this year havoc caused in Assam, Meghalaya and a few parts of East India has been very devastating.

People in majority of the Districts are still grappling with it. It includes innocent animals of Kaziranga and Mahananda sanctuaries and people residing in far flung villages.

Assam Always A Dark Area

If we dig into history, massive floods have happened in Assam in 1950,1988, and 2022 also. Primarily caused by heavy rain fall and accumulation of silt in Brahmputra and its many tributaries, during current year too, 86,000 people have been affected and 103 of them have already lost their lives in Dhubri, Barpeta, Morigaon, Dhemaji , Lakhimpur, Goalpara, Shivsagar, Jorhat, Cachar and Karimganj.

Also floods have happened in Uttarakhand, H.P., Kohima, Agra, Jaipur, unthinkable places in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Of all the places Howrah and Bikaner railway stations, a few metro stations of Delhi and newly built NOIDA airport too had to bear the brunt of heavy downpour. Last named definitely raises a finger of suspicion about quality of civil work.

Issue of Discharge

When we talk of floods, we always ignore harsh reality of gigantic release of waters into Bihar from Nepal and similar release of water into Yamuna from Hathinikund barage in Haryana. Already many market areas of Gurgaon and old Delhi have been submerged and water level in Yamuna has crossed the level recorded in August 2025.Talking of Quantum of rainfall, first ten days of August saw 233.7 m.m. in Delhi and it is bound to increase. In surrounding areas of U.P., too rain is picking up momentum.

Plug The Loopholes

It is high time we began doing more sincere work for flood control & management. Merely making promises would not do. Instances of newly built expressways caving in, in a short span, whole of bailey bridge being swept away, rather than weakening of foundations or development of cracks earlier and ensuring stable and relatively high approach to schools and offices need our Utmost Attention.

June 24 Earthquake in Venezuela

Twin earthquakes above 7.4 on Richter scale, 39 seconds and 5 kms apart, took place on June 24 in west side of Capital Caracus (160 kms)and La Guaira areas of Venezuela. Stated to be country’s strongest since 1900, not only it trapped people beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings but also led to powerful aftershocks.

La Guaira, a coastal city saw crumbling down of atleast one hundred buildings, including high rise apartments. In some areas, volunteers were seen digging for trapped persons with bare hands for want of equipments. In panic situation, some stores too were looted. Many houses also collapsed near the epicenter of earthquake in Moron.

According to acting President of Venezuela, 6301 persons lost their lives and thousands were reported missing due to widespread damage and disruption. While 16,740 were injured ,17907 were declared homeless. However, according to U.S. Geological Survey, death toll would most likely run into thousands.

According to initial reports, losses were estimated to the extent of USD 19.6 Billions, while reconstruction cost is going to be USD 50 Billion. USA, in the meanwhile, has promised an aid of USD 150 Million only and ‘easing of sanctions’.

Disaster has struck a country already grappling with years of economic turmoil that has left much of infrastructure fragile, thus complicating rescue and recovery efforts.

As North Venezuela is prone to severe seismic activity, in 1967 also large number of people had died together with loss of property when an earthquake of 6.3 on Richter scale had hit the country.

The country lying on the boundary between the Caribbean and South American plates had suffered maximum when an estimated thirty thousand people were killed in an Earthquake in 1812.

Expatriate groups among millions of Venezuelans swiftly began organising aid collections after establishing contact with family back home.

This is something our Indian Diaspora needs to learn. Expecting everything from the Government is not fair.

Earthquake in Columbia on August 10, 2026

Latin America had not got relief from devastating twin earthquake in Venezuela in June that a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake shattered life and concrete property in Coffee growing area of Colombia. It was most powerful to strike the country this century. As per latest information, over 250 lives have been lost in shaking of earth in early hours of August 10.

101 persons have been reported killed in Pereira and 95 in Cali. Many still trapped under the flattened buildings are without power or basic services.

As three thousand persons have been reported missing, death toll is likely to surge.

A state of emergency has been declared in the country as thousands are suspected to be buried below houses, apartment blocks, schools and health centres. It was the most powerful tremor to strike the area in decades.

According to a report, in hard hit areas rescue teams are working through the night with various equipment and also through bare hands carrying desperate searches for trapped persons.

As the place of occurance was reported to be accessible, not only rescue teams reached swiftly but communication could be also restored. More details are awaited.

Surprisingly issue of valuation of lost property has come up too soon.Its going to be a huge challenge for the new President A.D. La Espriella.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

• Natural calamities have happened in the past , these will take place again. Focus has now rightly shifted from relief to mitigation.Technology too is making a difference in speed and quality of rescue and relief operations.

• As a remarkable innovation in flood ravaged areas of Assam, a team of Prof. Harjeet Nath has turned flood water into ten thousand litres of safe drinking water for 300 families. Thus his Insta Water Portable Water Purification unit has achieved what Government functionaries could not for years.

• Crucial ‘Golden Hour’ from the point of happening of a calamity needs to be utilised properly. There is no dearth of fund anywhere but how quickly response comes that should matter.

• Timely decision of millions of expatriate Venezuelans has to be applauded.But lethargic Indian Diaspora with all their millions is certainly lagging behind. Applauding the Prime Minister only during his official visit should not suffice.

(The author is former Chief Secretary, Sikkim. Views are strictly personal)