CASE STUDY OF UTTARAKHAND DISASTER The state of Uttarakhand is largely covered by the high Himalayan mountains comprising the Himadri and Shivalik ranges. The existence of such mountainous terrain in the state makes it vulnerable to many natural disasters such as landslides and floods. Also, the fact that the entire Uttarakhand region is classified as seismic zone IV, making it prone to major earthquakes. Several major and minor rivers originate in the hills of Uttarakhand. Two major rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna, originate in the upper reaches of the Gangotri and Yamunotri glaciers respectively. The catastrophic floods of 2013 are attributed to the continuous heavy rainfall in the state from June 15, 2013 to June 17, 2013. Many parts of the country states such as Kedarnath, Rudraprayag and Gaurikund etc. experienced precipitation up to 300% above average. These heavy rains are a result of the collective devastation of torrential monsoon rains as well as western disturbances. These rains wreaked havoc across the state, especially in the mountainous areas. Most damage was done to Rud...