Solar Activity Behind Rising Natural Disasters, Says Astronomer Dr. A.P. Bhat

Solar Activity Behind Rising Natural Disasters, Says Astronomer Dr. A.P. Bhat

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Oct 25, 2026: The increasing frequency of natural disasters across the globe is linked to heightened solar activity known as the sunspot cycle, which has surpassed scientific predictions, said noted astronomer and retired principal Dr. A.P. Bhat from Udupi.

Dr. Bhat explained that phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, recurring cyclones, prolonged monsoons, heavy rainfall and cloudbursts are believed to be influenced by the Sun’s intensified activity.

He pointed out that the ongoing 25th 11-year sunspot cycle has gone beyond expectations. “Scientists had predicted this phase would end by January 2025, but instead, the Sun continues to release increasingly powerful solar flares - some of the strongest in a century - known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs),” he said.

Citing current weather patterns, Dr. Bhat noted that during this year’s Kartika Deepotsava season, two cyclones formed simultaneously - one in the Bay of Bengal and another in the Indian Ocean, moving toward India’s west coast. “While cyclones in the Bay of Bengal are common at this time of year, their occurrence in the Arabian Sea is unusual,” he observed.

He said such events, once rare, are now becoming an annual occurrence. “There was a time when cyclones on India’s west coast were unheard of, but things have changed. Fortunately, the Western Ghats act as a barrier, diverting these storms toward Mumbai and Gujarat,” he added.

On global seismic activity, Dr. Bhat referred to the Ring of Fire - a tectonically active belt stretching from the eastern coast of Australia through Japan, China, and Russia, across Alaska to Canada and South America - which has witnessed an increase in earthquakes this year. “This zone lies on tectonic plates about 50 km thick. When these plates collide or shift, earthquakes occur. Volcanic eruptions release streams of high-energy particles, and underwater collisions can generate tsunamis,” he explained.

Scientists, he said, believe that fluctuations in solar activity may be connected to such Earthly events. “When sunspot activity intensifies, seismic activity also increases — and the Sun is currently in a highly active phase,” he stated.

Dr. Bhat also drew attention to the growing number of cloudbursts in recent years. “Earlier, such incidents were confined to the Himalayan foothills, but now they’re occurring even in southern India. For instance, areas like Kushalnagar and Shiradi Ghat experience heavy downpours in narrow stretches, while nearby regions remain dry — a puzzling trend,” he said.

He concluded by noting that volcanic eruptions eject particles that travel vast distances, forming clusters that concentrate clouds and trigger cloudbursts. “In this grand cosmic drama, the Sun is the choreographer, and the Earth is the performer,” Dr. Bhat remarked.