Why do floods and landslides occur in Uttarakhand during the rainy season?

Floods and landslides in Uttarakhand during the rainy season are primarily driven by the region's intense seasonal weather patterns and its mountainous geography.

• Monsoon Precipitation: Most of the state's annual precipitation is delivered by the southwest monsoon between July and September. This heavy rainfall, combined with the steep terrain, often concentrates water in valleys and gullies, leading to destructive flooding in the lower stretches of the valleys.12
• Mountainous Terrain: The Himalayas are geologically young and tectonically active, meaning the region is prone to earthquakes, which can destabilize slopes. When heavy rainstorms occur, the added moisture and gravitational stress can exceed the shear strength of the slope materials, triggering landslides.34
• Cloudbursts: The region is also susceptible to cloudbursts—sudden, extremely heavy rainfall events often associated with thunderstorms. These are particularly common in mountainous areas where warm air currents are forced up slopes, resulting in intense, localized downpours that cause sudden, severe flooding.2