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Observational study of a severe snowfall avalanche over a state in North India in November 2019 using GIS

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Abstract

Heavy snowfall in the first week of November 2019 caused snow avalanche that resulted in huge loss in the form of lives and properties over Kashmir Valley in North India. About 17 people were killed including 11 soldiers by the snow avalanche resulting from heavy snowfall. Data from seven stations of India Meteorological Department (IMD) have been used to study the snowfall events. These stations include Kupwara, Gulmarg, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology (SKUAST), Pahalgam, Kokernag, Qazigund and Konibal. Kokernag recorded the highest snowfall of about 120 mm on November 8. SKUAST recorded snowfall of about 80 mm on November 8. Heavy snowfall started on November 6 and lasted up to November 8, 2019. Gulmarg, Kokernag and Kupwara reported cumulative snowfall of more than 100 mm during November 6–8, 2019. These stations are located in hilly region. Heavy snowfall combined with steep slope resulted in heavy snow avalanche causing heavy damage. An army camp situated in northern Gulmarg was swept away due to avalanche resulting in four causalities. Heavy snowfall also affected agriculture, horticulture, transportations and economy of the valley.

Highlights

  • A snowfall avalanche event has been explored using GIS over Kashmir Valley.

  • Heavy snowfall combined with steep slope resulted in heavy snow avalanche causing extreme damage.

  • This extreme event affected transportation, agriculture and horticulture.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to IMD Srinagar for providing the required data. We acknowledge the funding for this work from CSIR (Grant No. 24(0350)/17/EMR-II).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar, Chennai, 600 119, India

    Mohammad Suhail Meer & Anoop Kumar Mishra

Authors
  1. Mohammad Suhail Meer
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  2. Anoop Kumar Mishra
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Contributions

Mohammad Suhail has collected the snowfall data. Anoop Kumar Mishra has analysed the data. The authors together have written the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anoop Kumar Mishra.

Additional information

Communicated by Kavirajan Rajendran

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Meer, M.S., Mishra, A.K. Observational study of a severe snowfall avalanche over a state in North India in November 2019 using GIS. J Earth Syst Sci 129, 230 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-020-01506-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-020-01506-w

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