What is the issue?
- Kerala is witnessing historic rainfalls in disastrous proportions, with South west monsoon.
- The impact of the flood has highlighted the need for governments to strengthen resilience planning.
What is the catastrophic impact?
- Monsoon rainfall on several districts of Kerala has come as a reminder of unpredictable natural disasters.
- More than three dozen people have died.
- An estimated Rs. 8,000 crore worth of economic assets had been lost.
- The gates of reservoirs in the Idukki system, and several other dams have been opened. Click here to know more
- This has inundated the habitations downstream.
- About 60,000 people whose dwellings suffered damage were lodged in relief camps.
- Landslips caused by incessant showers have caused damage to houses, roads and other structures.
What is the changing climate scenario?
- Kerala’s unusually heavy monsoon this year is in contrast to the long-period trend of rainfall.
- According to an analysis of data on the monsoon between 1954 and 2003, overall this part of the country had become drier in summer.
- Nevertheless, there is an emerging frequency of destructive flash floods in rare events as this.
- This trend is only expected to become stronger in the coming period.
How to deal with it?
- With its efficient primary health care network, Kerala can take all measures to avoid epidemics.
- However, the evolving climate pattern points to the need for governments to strengthen their resilience planning.
- It should begin with a programme to relocate people away from hazard zones along the rivers.
- But finding suitable land is a challenge in a populous, forested State as that of Kerala.
Source: The Hindu
