By Vijeta Rattani, Programme Manager, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, India. (Southasiadisasters.net issue No. 180, January 2019)

Extreme weather events are growing in frequency and intensity globally. According to the German watch Report on Climate Risk Index, India, standing as 4th most vulnerable country globally to climate change faces the worst impacts in the form of extreme rainfall, floods, drought, cyclones, heatwaves and even dust storms, all year across regions.

The recent floods in Kerala, the worst to hit the state in a century, demonstrate one of the many tragedies due to climate change coupled with poor management and planning, leading to massive loss of lives and damages in kind.

The month of August proved to be a bane to God’s own country, Kerala, endowed with an area of 38,800 square kilometres decorated with mountain ranges; the third-highest population density in the country; 44 rivers with 61 dams. However, despite warnings from IMD about an expected grim situation, unprecedented rainfall with urban factors combined including faulty dam management saw what was unwitnessed before. The impact–buildings and bridges were washed away, nearly 500 people died, tens of thousands of homes destroyed and several thousand hectares of crops ruined.

Over 10 days of continuous outpour in August resulted in nearly 25 trillion litres of water falling on Kerala. Of the total of 760 mm rainfall received by the state since the beginning of the month of August, close to 75 per cent was received in the eight days itself between August 9 and 17, representing a departure from normal by around 300 per cent for the time period. The predicted rains during this period from August 9 to 15 were 98.5 mm.

The state government which estimated the preliminary losses at Rs. 20,000 crore, later on clarified that the total losses was to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore and finally estimated the total losses equalling to the total annual outlay of the state. While at the height of the floods, in the mid of August, nearly 15 lakh people were put up in more than 3000 relief camps, the figure gradually boiled down to 60 thousand people. By September end nearly 5000 people were lodged in nearly 120 relief camps.

In August alone, the estimated wage losses were worth Rs 4,000 crore. More than one million people are still in relief camps that would take around Rs 300 crore a month to maintain. Its infrastructure has been greatly hot with more than 12,000 kilometres of roads been damaged hindering growth and also speedy relief and rebuilding operation. In the area of agriculture, 57,000 hectares of agriculture crops have been destroyed.

The case of extreme rains and floods result in health hazards too with Kerala being no exception. Stagnant waters in most districts of Kerala led to an increase in the outbreak of waterborne diseases including cholera, leptospirosis and diarrhoea.

The healthcare sector on the whole has recorded losses over $20m across the state.

Blessed with a wide and beautiful network of lakes, canals, rivers and natural scenic sites, Kerala draws significant amount of tourists every year. However, with the August downpour, tourism sector which accounts for 12 percent of Kerala’s economy has also been badly hit. Estimates suggest that there has been more than 80 percent cancellations of tourist bookings during the flood period. A 25 percent drop for the season is expected by industry experts as a whole. In totality, the state’s growth rate would be down by one per cent. The biggest question that one is confronted with-could this have been avoided and if yes, how? It would be interesting to see and note how the state and centre responds to rising extreme weather events, which as the recent IPCC, report on 1.5 degree has warned, would only increase in the future.

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