Torrential rains lash India, causing widespread flooding and deadly lightning. Iconic Mumbai submerged, and many died in the eastern state of Bihar due to lightning.
The India Meteorological Department, or IMD, had signaled the onset of rains via warnings of "heavy to hefty rainfall," after which the civic authority had shut down schools and colleges in a preventive measure.
Incessant rain has thrown many roads underwater, hitting bus and train services and affecting the day-to-day lives of millions.
Lightning Strikes in Bihar, Tragedy Strikes Bihar-a state in India-when lightning strikes have claimed life after life, with the number being reported as a minimum of 10.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called on residents to stay inside in lousy weather. This lightning incident brings out the dangers that come with the much-needed monsoon, simultaneously leaving a trail of destruction.
The northeast Indian state of Assam is also facing a crisis, as overflowing rivers have flooded vast parts of the territory. The surging significant rivers have exceeded the danger mark, affecting more than 24.5 lakh people across 30 districts.
According to officials, at least 66 deaths have been reported in the state due to ongoing floods since mid-May, and the numbers are feared to multiply further.
Climate experts also attribute the climate crisis to make the monsoon fury worse. The catastrophic frequency of fatal floods and landslides in recent years is proof that the artillery of a changing climate is pointed at some of nature's conventional weapons.
Nearly 3000 people lost their lives to lightning strikes across India in 2022, a stark reminder of the escalating risks from extreme weather events.
In conclusion, the country now needs to rise to effective disaster management and climate resilience as it battles the fury of the monsoon in more ways than one.
The most critical need is for the country to increase its resilience in facing and responding to these natural calamities for the protection of life and the livelihoods of the future.
The country has witnessed disastrous floods that have left indelible marks on its landscape and people. The Lucknow Floods in 1923, 1960, and 1971 were caused by the overflowing of the Gomti River after heavy monsoon rains. These floods contributed to a massive loss of life and property.
Chennai, then known as Madras, suffered one of its worst floods in 1943 due to continuous heavy rain for six days, leading to the overflowing of the Coovum and Adyar rivers.
The Assam Floods are a periodic catastrophe. The state undergoes severe flooding nearly every year due to the swelling of the Brahmaputra River.
The floods that occurred in 1988 and 2004 were the most dreadful, costing millions of lives and causing a huge amount of destruction. Bihar is another flood-prone state that witnessed one of its worst floods in 1987, deluging the entire state and causing a humanitarian crisis.
In recent history, the 2019 Indian Floods were:A national calamity that covered more than thirteen states. Claimed over 200 lives. They displaced around a million people.
The disaster has caused wide-scale destruction in the States of Karnataka and Maharashtra, among the worst-hit regions.
The 2020 Hyderabad Floods were another such event, with rainfall never seen before inundating the city, killing many and causing massive damage to infrastructure.
Similar instances have occurred in Bengaluru and Pune, performing the same rituals of disrupting life and causing economic losses.
These incidents underline the increasing frequency and intensity of floods in India, now precipitated by many factors such as climate change, deforestation, and rapid urbanization.
The need for comprehensive flood management strategies is higher than ever, especially regarding early warning systems, robust infrastructure, and community preparedness mitigation of such disasters in the future.
Data on the annual maximum flooded area has been summarized from the flood history of India for the years 1901 to 2020 in the India Flood Atlas.
Besides, individual studies of flood events and attendant fatalities and damages help understand trends and types from 1978 to 2006 that have shaped present disaster management policies in the country.
