An analytical and ground-situation report on the massive climate-induced disaster in Uttarakhand, India, in June 2013. This was presented in various UN & other metings, and at national meetings -- on climate change and disaster preparedness.

1. Climate Extremes
and
Loss and Damage
Lessons from Uttarakhand Disaster, India
SADED

3. CLIMATE EXTREMES
AND
LOSS AND DAMAGE
Lessons from Uttarakhand Disaster, India

5. Preface

6. Acknowledgement

7. Contents

8. List of Abbreviations

9. 1. Introduction

11. Table 1: Activities undertaken during the study

12. 2. Methodology
7.

14. 3. The Uttarakhand Disaster; Why and How
3
4
n IMD terminology, extremely heavy rainfall 244.5 mm in
a day very heavy is between 124.5 and 244.5 mm/day
town in the Mandakini valley
Source of this information is Uttarakhand State Action Plan on Climate Change

15. 3.1 Why this happened
5
6
In Uttarakhand, 60% of the land is under the control of the forest department, whereas
private land for residences and agriculture constitutes roughly about 10-11%, thus increasing the pressure
on any available land.
2004 Tsunami or the 2002 earthquake were .

17. 3.2 The Climate Connection
7
Table 2: Average rainfall in June in Dehradun
Dehradun
Shrestha, U. B., Gautam, S. & Bawa, K. PLoS ONE 7, e36741 (2012)

18. Box 1: Cases of extreme rainfall have doubled in last 50 years: IITM

19. 4. Assessment of Damage and Loss
4.1 Loss of human lives
4.2 Housing

21. Box 2: Case study of Mrs. Pulma Arya, Didsari
4.3 Agriculture and agricultural land

22. 4.4 Horticulture
9

23. 4.5 Livestock

24. 4.6 Road, connectivity and other infrastructure
10

26. 4.7 Education and health services

28. 4.8 Tourism related Livelihoods
11

31. 5. State Response; Rescue, Relief and
Rehabilitation
12

33. Table 3: Compensation announced by the Uttarakhand Government

34. 6. Needs Assessment
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37. 7. Role of Warning, Information and
Preparedness in Disasters; Lessons from
Phailin
13
Unofficial estimates hover around 50,000 human lives lost

38. Box 3: Extracts of the minutes of the meeting between GSI and Geological and Mining
department of Uttarakhand government

39. Box 4: CAG Report trashes disaster management in Uttarakhand

40. 14
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Andhra Pradesh and Odisha provided strong concrete cyclone shelters to safely enclose the people
from the risk
Nearly a million people were evacuated from the cyclone affected areas during near-super cyclone
‘Phailin’ in Odisha/ Andhra Pradesh in October 2013

41. 8. A Reflection on the Development Model in
Uttarakhand

44. 9. What Message does Uttarakhand Disaster
has for Climate Change Negotiations

45. Box 5: Excerpt from COP 16 Decision

47. 10. Climate Change and Disaster; Need for a
Human Rights Based Approach to Disaster
Reduction and Sustainable Development16
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18 19
10.1 Climate change and disaster
17

48. 20
10.2 Global response to disaster and disaster risk reduction
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49. 10.3 Experience and Lessons learned from implementation of
Hyogo Framework of Action
10.4 Opportunity that lies ahead

50. 23
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10.5 Recommendations on fundamental principles in
addressing climate change and disaster in the
SDGs
In July 2012, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the 27 members of a High-level Panel to
advise on the global development framework beyond 2015, the target date for the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). The Panel was co-chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of
Indonesia, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United
Kingdom, and it includes leaders from civil society, private sector and government. The Panel
submitted its report on 30th May 2013.
24 The Open Working Group was established on 22nd of January 2013 by decision 67/555 (see
A/67/L.48/rev.1) of the General Assembly. The 30-member (OWG) of the General Assembly is tasked
with preparing a proposal on the SDGs and will submit its report by the end of the 68th session
(September 2014) of the United Nations General Assembly.

52. Annexures
Annexure-I
Profile of Villages
Gajoli
Didsari
Maneri

53. Netala
Aungi

54. Annexure-II
List of Respondents

56. Annexure-III
Scholarly writings on Uttarakhand disaster

66. Annexure-IV
News Clippings

72. Annexure-V
Experience Sharing and Way Forward for Effective Disaster
Management

81. Our Publications
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82. Beyond Copenhagen Collective (BCPH) is a coalition of more than 40
organizations and networks working on the issues of sustainable development,
environment, sustainable agriculture etc. We have been extensively engaged
with India’s response to Climate Crisis, Domestic Action and its position
in International negotiation process under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change. We have tried to attract global attention on due
consideration of agriculture and food security in climate change negotiations,
state responsibility and accountability for climate justice.
Organizations and networks part of the BCPH collective bring with them varying
experiences and expertise, ranging from grassroots works with farmers and
peasant communities to engaging with policy makers and the policy through
policy analysis, advocacy, lobbying, engaging with the media through their
sensitization and orientation; and undertaken documentation and scientific
exploration in climate change, sustainable agriculture and food security. The
focus of our work emanates from the understanding that there is an urgency to
work in collaborative action on climate change and climate justice issues. The
collective proposes to address these issues through a variety of actions at local,
state/provincial, national and global level.