An elderly woman and her granddaughter were killed when a landslide hit their home in Kot Village in Tehri District, Uttarakhand, India, in the early hour of the morning of Tuesday 13 August 2013. The event comes after a night of heavy rain, with over 60 mm or rainfall across much of Uttarakhand in the last 24 hours. The Himalayas have been suffering the heaviest Monsoon rains in eighty years, triggering widespread flooding and numerous landslides, with more rains forecast over the coming days. Landslides are a common problem after severe weather events, as excess pore water pressure can overcome cohesion in soil and sediments, allowing them to flow like liquids. Approximately 90% of all landslides are caused by heavy rainfall.
The approximate location of the 13 August 2013 Kot landslide. Google Maps.
Utterkhand has suffered extensive flooding since the onset of the Monsoon Season in June, with around 800 confirmed deaths and over 4000 people still missing. The Mandakini, Alaknanda, Bhagirathi, Pindar, Ganga and several minor rivers are currently in flood in the state, many bridges have been destroyed, whole villages swept away and towns inundated with water.
See also One person killed by landslide in Uttarakhand, Six people killed by landslide in Nainital District, Uttarakhand, Seven killed by landslide in Uttarakhand and Hundreds feared dead after collapse of Chorabari Glacier.
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