Tag: geography

The floods occurred in 2010 across a large part of Ladakh, a region of the northernmost Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. 71 towns and villages were damaged, including the main town in the area, Leh. At least 255 people are reported to have died, after a cloudburst and heavy overnight rains triggered flash foods, mudslides, and debris flows.

The ozone layer plays a important role in protecting humans and other living organisms from the harmful UV rays of the sun. The ozone layer is present in the stratosphere, and is now depleted due to air pollution which leads to global warming.

Lead particulates (from automobile exhausts) cause lead poisoning result­ing in convulsions, delirium, coma and even death in Humans.

When the animals feed upon the particulate coated plants (especially with Fluo­rine, Lead, Arsenic) they get affected with Arsenic poisoning (cattle and sheep) and Arsenic poisoning (cattle). Lead poisoning results in bronchitis and lack of appetite in pet animals.

The Mathura refinery was in the news for allegedly causing the white marble of the Taj Mahal to yellow. The Indian government hired a panel to examine the effects of the refinery. The panel found that the air has high levels of suspended articulate matter, caused by factory emissions, dust, construction and exhaust from automobiles. These are causing the Taj Mahal to change colour.

The westerlies are the prevailing winds in the middle latitudes between $35^{\circ}$ and $65^{\circ}$ latitude blowing from the west to east. The westerlies are strong especially in the southern hemisphere where there is less land in middle latitudes to cause flow pattern to amplify. The strongest westerly winds southern hemisphere is Roaring Forties which blows between $40^{\circ}$ and $50^{\circ}$ latitudes.

Wind is defined as the perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction whereas breeze is the gentle wind.

Coastal areas experience less contrasts in temperature conditions due to moderating effect of the seas.  The large water bodies helps in moderating temperature. Water has a higher heat capacity than soil and rock, so the ocean takes much longer to heat and to cool than the land.

Tropical cyclones causes rains on the Coromandel coast. Devastating cyclones originate in the Indian ocean especially in the Bay of  Bengal. The highest frequency of the cyclones is in the month of October and the first half of November. These cyclones are accompanied by strong winds, dense cloud, thundering and heavy rain.