Thread by @weatherindia

#WorldRiversDay: Some Amazing Facts on the Mighty Streams Flowing Across India

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(📸: IANS)

India is a land of 9 great rivers, which serve as lifelines for billions of people. Among all, the Ganga is one of the largest flowing rivers in the country, while the other mighty rivers include the Godavari, Krishna, Brahmaputra, and Indus.

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The sacred river

The Ganges or Ganga is a perennial river, originating from the great Himalayas and flowing throughout the year. It lives on the melting snow of the mountains.

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The river rises from Uttarakhand and flows through a total distance of 2,525 km to end in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

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On the course of this long journey, the great river acts as a source of water for 11 Indian states, and supports a population of approximately 500 million people.

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It is also regarded as the most sacred river to the Hindus, and flows through pilgrimage sites like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Varanasi, Allahabad, and Kolkata.

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Largest delta in the world

The largest delta in the world is formed by two major rivers, viz. Ganga and Brahmaputra, which converge on the Bengal Basin. They together form the Sunderban Delta that spreads over India and Bangladesh with an area of approximately 40,000 square kms.

The area is also a famous kingdom of the Royal Bengal Tigers. The largest delta supports a diverse variety of flora and fauna, and is also home to over 4.5 million people.

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The highest dam in India

Tehri Dam is regarded to be the highest dam in India, built on the river Bhagirathi. It is located in the Tehri district of Uttarakhand, and built at a height of 260.5 metres.

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Its staggering height also makes it a part of the top 10 tallest dams in the world.

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The construction of this dam started in the year 1978, but was only completed in 2006. The dam on the embankment of river Bhagirathi can produce hydroelectricity of 1,000 MW.

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The highest Indian waterfall

In India, the highest waterfall is the Kunchikal Falls, situated on river Varahi in Shimoga district of Karnataka. The waterfall originates from the height of around 1493 ft.

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Some bonus trivia!

The river #Nile is known to be the largest river in the world, originating from #NorthAfrica and flows through 11 countries on the continent. It stretches to a whopping distance of 6,695km – equivalent to 65,000 football fields.

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On the other hand, river Congo in Central Africa is the deepest river on the planet. Precisely how deep it is remains a mystery, but experts state that it is nearly 230m deep in parts, which makes it deep enough to submerge London’s clock tower.

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