Topper’s Copy

GS1

Physical Geography

10 marks

What is the phenomenon of cloudbursts? Explain.

Student’s Answer

Evaluation by SuperKalam

Score:

6.5/10

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3

6

10

Demand of the Question

Definition/Concept of cloudburst
Process/Mechanism of formation
Characteristics and impacts
Geographical distribution/vulnerable areas

INTRODUCTION

What you wrote:

A cloudburst is an extreme weather phenomenon characterized by sudden, very heavy rainfall of >100mm in a localised area.

Suggestions to improve:

Can begin with a recent devastating cloudburst incident (like 2013 Kedarnath disaster where cloudburst caused over 5,700 casualties) to establish relevance

BODY

What you wrote:

Key characteristics of cloudburst
① High Intensity of Rainfall
② Short Duration
③ Limited area
④ Flash flood [eg] Uttarakhand, Dharali flash flood

Suggestions to improve:

Can expand on intensity by mentioning specific figures (like 100mm/hour rainfall)
Can link duration with intensity (typically 15-20 minutes of intense rainfall)
Can explain flash floods occur due to sudden water volume exceeding drainage capacity
Can mention impact on mountain slopes (triggering landslides and debris flow)

What you wrote:

Mechanism of Cloudburst Formation -

① Warm, Moist Air - rise of warm air rapidly.

② Orographic lifting happens in mountainous region.

③ Condensation and super-saturation. As the air rises it cools down and moisture condenses rapidly leading to formation of Cumulonimbus clouds.

④ Trapped Moisture! In some cases the moisture gets trapped due to specific atmospheric conditions.

⑤ Updrafts:- Strong updrafts within the cloud prevent raindrops from falling until they become too heavy, leading to sudden release.
[DRAWING: A diagram labeled "Fig: Cloudburst formation". It illustrates the process on a mountain. On the windward side, moist air rises, cools down, and forms clouds at the peak. Text indicates "Rising air cools down" and "MOIST AIR". The cloud is labeled "Clouds formed". Text above the cloud says "Lack of upward air prevents dissipation". Rain is shown falling heavily from the cloud. The other side of the mountain is labeled "Lee-ward side".]

Mechanism of Cloudburst Formation -

① Warm, Moist Air - rise of warm air rapidly.

② Orographic lifting happens in mountainous region.

③ Condensation and super-saturation. As the air rises it cools down and moisture condenses rapidly leading to formation of Cumulonimbus clouds.

④ Trapped Moisture! In some cases the moisture gets trapped due to specific atmospheric conditions.

⑤ Updrafts:- Strong updrafts within the cloud prevent raindrops from falling until they become too heavy, leading to sudden release.
[DRAWING: A diagram labeled "Fig: Cloudburst formation". It illustrates the process on a mountain. On the windward side, moist air rises, cools down, and forms clouds at the peak. Text indicates "Rising air cools down" and "MOIST AIR". The cloud is labeled "Clouds formed". Text above the cloud says "Lack of upward air prevents dissipation". Rain is shown falling heavily from the cloud. The other side of the mountain is labeled "Lee-ward side".]

Suggestions to improve:

Can explain orographic lifting (forced upward movement of air due to mountains)
Can mention temperature difference (around 10°C between ground and cloud level)
Can add role of atmospheric instability in cloud formation
Can include the role of monsoon conditions in Indian context

What you wrote:

Vulnerable regions

* Himalayan Regions like Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir are more prone to cloud burst, flash floods.

[MAP: A rough outline map of India is drawn. Two regions are highlighted. One is the Himalayan region in the north, labeled "Himalayas". The other is the Western Ghats along the west coast, labeled "western ghats".]

* Western ghats

Vulnerable regions

* Himalayan Regions like Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir are more prone to cloud burst, flash floods.

[MAP: A rough outline map of India is drawn. Two regions are highlighted. One is the Himalayan region in the north, labeled "Himalayas". The other is the Western Ghats along the west coast, labeled "western ghats".]

* Western ghats

Suggestions to improve:

Can explain vulnerability factors (steep slopes, narrow valleys, high rainfall zones)
Can add specific examples from Western Ghats (like Wayanad, Coorg region)
Can mention role of climate change in increasing frequency

CONCLUSION

What you wrote:

Cloudburst is still a phenomenon which is difficult to predict causing loss of infrastructure, humans etc. Hence we need to develop robust technology, development planning to reduce the damaging effect from cloudburst.

Suggestions to improve:

Can mention specific measures (like early warning systems, watershed management, and restriction on construction in vulnerable zones)

Marks: 6.5/10

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