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READY RECKONER OF INDIANGEOGRAPHY |41|

the tropical cyclones in India also originate in these of eroded material in the water due to higher rate of
two important locations. soil erosion.

• Though most of the cyclones originate between 10°- • Though floods occur frequently over wide
15° north latitudes during the monsoon season, yet in geographical area having disastrous ramifications in
case of the Bay of Bengal, cyclones mostly develop many parts of the world, floods in the South,
during the months of October and November. Southeast and East Asian countries, particularly in
China, India and Bangladesh, are frequent and equally
• Originate between 16°-2° N latitudes and to the west
disastrous.
of 92° E. By July the place of origin of these storms
shifts to around 18° N latitude and west of 90°E near • RashtriyaBarhAyog (National Flood Commission)
the Sunderban Delta. A surge is generated due to identified 40 million hectares of land as flood-prone in
interaction of air, sea and land. The cyclone provides India Assam, West Bengal and Bihar are among the
the driving force in the form of very high horizontal high flood-prone states of India.
pressure-gradient and very strong surface winds. The
sea water flows across the coast along with strong
winds and heavy downpour.

Droughts:
• The term ‘drought‘ is applied to an extended period

Floods: when there is a shortage of water availability due to
inadequate precipitation, excessive rate of
• The causes of floods are well- established. Relatively evaporation and over-utilisation of water from the
slow in occurrences and often, occur in well-identified reservoirs and other storages, including the ground
regions and within expected time in a year. Floods water.
occur commonly when water in the form of surface
• Drought is a complex phenomenon as it involves
run-off exceeds the carrying capacity of the river
elements of meteorology like precipitation,
channels and streams and flows into the neighbouring
evaporation, evapo- transpiration, ground water, soil
low-lying flood plains.
moisture, storage and surface run-off, agricultural
• Floods can also be caused due to a storm surge (in the practices, particularly the types of crops grown, socio-
coastal areas), high intensity rainfall for a economic practices and ecological conditions.
considerably longer time period, melting of ice and
snow, reduction in the infiltration rate and presence

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