Rise in extreme weather events in India raises concerns over climate change impact
By Srishti Choudhary
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“Heavy rainfall used to occur in Kerala, but not with such continuity. This time, there has been widespread rain continually for a long time which has not been seen in recent years. However, we have observed that the intensity of daily rainfall is indeed increasing, especially along the western coast and in the north-eastern states,” said Dr D.S. Pai, head, climate prediction group , India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune.
One such analysis done by IMD researchers has indicated increased disaster potential for instant flooding over central India, where the intensity and frequency of heavy and very heavy rainfall have been increasing.
“Our vulnerability to extreme rainfall is increasing as more people are living in low-lying areas and land development is changing drainage patterns. When there is more rain than the soil can absorb, water will quickly run-off overwhelming streams, drains and rivers, and causing flash floods,” said Dr Roxy Matthew Koll from Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, whose recent study in Nature highlighted that the number of extreme rainfall events have gone up by threefold in India.
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