Question

Why is India prone to natural disasters?
1. Due to its geological set up
2. Due to its proximity to Himalaya
3. Due to seasonal weathers
4. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: Floods are the most common natural disaster in India. The heavy southwest monsoon rains cause the Brahmaputra and other rivers to distend their banks, often flooding surrounding areas.
- Most of the Natural disasters in India are related to the climate of India and cause massive losses of life and property.
- Droughts, flash floods, cyclones, avalanches, landslides brought by torrential rains, and snowstorms pose the greatest threats.

Complete Answer:
- India is one of the world's most disaster-prone areas owing to its physio-graphic & climatic conditions. Windstorms from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are vulnerable. In the Himalaya, there are active crustal motions that are likely to lead to earthquakes.
- Around 58.7 percent of the total land mass is vulnerable to moderate to extremely high-intensity earthquakes. Heavy rain and drought in arid and semi-arid areas triggered floods. About 12% of the total land mass is susceptible to floods and 68% of the arable land is vulnerable to drought.
- The Thar Desert represents the western area of the nation and the Deccan Plateau faces recurrent droughts due to acute rainfall shortages in central India. Since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, India has increasingly become vulnerable to tsunamis. India has a 7600-km-long coastline.

Following are the given alternatives:
- Due to its geological set-up, India is vulnerable to natural disasters. Option 1 is therefore the right option.
- Owing to its proximity to the Himalaya, the nation is facing a number of disasters. Option 2 is indeed, thus an incorrect option.
- Although there are different weather patterns in the region, this is not the reason why the nation is vulnerable to disasters. Option 3, therefore, is also not the right option.
The right alternative is not Option 4.

Therefore, Option 4 is the right answer.

Note: In 1851, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) was set up.
- The Indian meteorological department has announced that with higher annual average rainfall as well as increased drought in future years, the water cycle will be more severe.
- In most states, a 20 percent increase in the monsoon is also expected.
- Due to population growth and climate change, the per capita supply of freshwater in India is projected to drop below 1000 cubic metres by 2025.