The new norm? - AGAIN - sudden, heavy, short duration rainfall in Kalimpong - 20Jun2023

Unlike 17Jun2023, we had a 'RED' warning in place for heavy rain in our region, however it remained dry thru the day with heavy clouds.
There was no thundering or lightning to indicate convective clouds moving in or building up over Kalimpong. Cloud image of the period is shown below:

Heavy rains started at around 7.00pm with intensities of approx 70-80mm/hr. It continued to rain heavily with intensities of over 40mm/hr for another two hours.

With the two rainfall events of 17Jun and 20Jun2023, I was reminded of something which I had read a long time ago, written by late Dr Subhas Ranjan Basu and Dr Sunil Kumar De (NEHU).
I reproduce it below:
'With rapid urbanization and a phenomenal growth of tourism, the Darjiling and Sikkim Himalayas have been experiencing an unprecedented rise in population since independence. Consequently, pressure on land is increasing with the gradual elimination of virgin forests. Unscientific and unplanned usages of land coupled with vulnerable geological structure and high rainfall have led to the establishment of vicious cycle of soil erosion and landslides. During or after every monsoon, landslides create havoc in the Darjiling-Sikkim Himalayas
devastating human lives and properties. As a result the Darjiling-Sikkim Himalayas, one of the most densely populated tourist centers in such monsoon environments, is on the verge of an environmental catastrophe so that just one concentrated shower of 50 mm per hour could initiate landslides endangering innumerable local people and their properties.'
Link

24hrs rainfall of adjoining areas
Cooch Behar 130mm
Jalpai 84mm
Darjeeling 15mm
Gangtok 9.7mm

Praful Rao
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya
savethehills@gmail.com
9475033744