If March2015 was the wettest in the last 100yrs for much of North and Central India (see here), then it must have been one of the driest in the Darjeeling-Sikkim region (see Slide 1)
From Oct2014, when the SW monsoons receded from this area, till 30Mar2015 we had no significant rains leading to bone dry conditions which caused raging forest fires (Slide 2), a severe potable water crisis in most urban dwellings in the region and dust/smoke haze which lowered visibility and resulted in months of atmospheric obscurity.
On 30Mar2015, the same storm system (Slide 3) which caused flooding and 16 deaths in Kashmir, barreled its way towards the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya, brought in sharp thundershowers at 4.40pm.
Rainfall data for 4 places in this region is placed below :-
Kalimpong - 22mm
Darjeeling town - 17mm
Aap Botey(Mineral Springs- Darjeeling) - 20.2mm
Mangan (N Sikkim) - 37mm
Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Darjeeling district.
From Oct2014, when the SW monsoons receded from this area, till 30Mar2015 we had no significant rains leading to bone dry conditions which caused raging forest fires (Slide 2), a severe potable water crisis in most urban dwellings in the region and dust/smoke haze which lowered visibility and resulted in months of atmospheric obscurity.
On 30Mar2015, the same storm system (Slide 3) which caused flooding and 16 deaths in Kashmir, barreled its way towards the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya, brought in sharp thundershowers at 4.40pm.
Rainfall data for 4 places in this region is placed below :-
Kalimpong - 22mm
Darjeeling town - 17mm
Aap Botey(Mineral Springs- Darjeeling) - 20.2mm
Mangan (N Sikkim) - 37mm
Kalimpong,
Darjeeling district.
