write an essay on how kerala battled the recent flood

Essay on Kerala Flood

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100 Words Essay on Kerala Flood

Introduction.

Kerala, a beautiful southern state in India, is famous for its green landscapes and backwaters. However, it faced a devastating flood in 2018.

The Devastation

The flood caused massive destruction. Hundreds of people lost their lives, and thousands were displaced from their homes. Infrastructure was severely damaged.

Heavy monsoon rains were the primary cause of the flood. The state received 75% more rainfall than usual, leading to overflowing rivers and landslides.

The Response

The government, NGOs, and citizens came together for rescue and relief operations. The unity displayed was commendable.

The Kerala flood was a tragic event but also showcased the power of unity during adversity.

Also check:

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250 Words Essay on Kerala Flood

Kerala, a state in South India, is renowned for its scenic beauty and cultural heritage. However, it has been recurrently afflicted by catastrophic floods, with the most severe ones in 2018 and 2019. These floods have drastically impacted the socio-economic fabric of the state, prompting a need for comprehensive analysis and proactive measures.

Causes of the Floods

The primary cause of these floods is the monsoon rainfall. However, anthropogenic factors like deforestation, unregulated construction, and improper waste management have exacerbated the situation. Climate change, leading to unpredictable weather patterns, has also played a significant role.

The floods have had a profound impact on Kerala’s socio-economic structure. Lives were lost, properties destroyed, and infrastructure severely damaged. The agriculture sector, the backbone of Kerala’s economy, was hit hard, leading to a surge in unemployment and poverty rates. The floods also triggered health crises due to water contamination and the spread of diseases.

Management and Mitigation

The government and non-governmental organizations played a crucial role in rescue and relief operations. However, the events underscored the need for a robust disaster management system. It’s essential to focus on sustainable development, enforce stringent construction norms, and invest in early warning systems.

The Kerala floods serve as a stark reminder of the devastating impacts of climate change and unregulated human activities. It is an urgent call for us to rethink our relationship with nature and adopt sustainable practices. As we move forward, it’s crucial that we learn from these disasters to build a resilient and sustainable future.

500 Words Essay on Kerala Flood

Kerala, a southern state of India, known for its enchanting beauty and rich biodiversity, has been plagued by repeated floods over the years. The most devastating among these were the 2018 and 2019 floods, which resulted in massive loss of life and property. These floods serve as a stark reminder of the increasing vulnerability of geographical regions to climate change and environmental degradation.

The 2018 and 2019 Kerala Floods

In 2018, Kerala experienced the worst flood in nearly a century, followed by another in 2019. The 2018 floods were triggered by unusually high rainfall during the monsoon season, with a death toll of nearly 500 people and displacement of around a million. The 2019 floods, although less severe, added to the plight, causing further damage to the already fragile state.

The primary cause of the floods was the intense and incessant rainfall. However, the severity of the floods can be attributed to a combination of environmental, structural, and political factors. Deforestation, illegal stone quarrying, and unplanned construction have led to a significant reduction in the forest cover and the destruction of the natural drainage system. This has resulted in increased surface runoff, leading to landslides and soil erosion which further exacerbate the flooding.

Climate Change and Its Role

Climate change has likely played a significant role in these disasters. As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere holds more moisture, leading to increased rainfall during monsoon seasons. This pattern is consistent with the predictions of climate models, which forecast more frequent and severe extreme weather events.

Disaster Management and Response

The response to the Kerala floods showcased the power of community resilience. In the face of adversity, the people of Kerala came together to form an effective disaster response. Fishermen turned their boats into makeshift rescue vessels, and countless citizens opened their homes to the displaced. Technology also played a crucial role, with social media platforms being used for coordinating rescue and relief efforts.

The Road to Recovery

Recovery from the floods has been a slow and arduous process. Rehabilitation of displaced people, rebuilding infrastructure, and restoring livelihoods remain significant challenges. The floods have underscored the need for sustainable development and effective disaster management strategies.

The Kerala floods serve as a wake-up call to the urgent need for climate action and environmental conservation. They highlight the importance of sustainable development and the necessity for robust disaster management systems. As we move forward, it is crucial to learn from these events and work towards building a resilient and sustainable future.

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Kerala’s monsoon: lessons from recent floods in India

write an essay on how kerala battled the recent flood

Professor of Sustainability, Azim Premji University

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Harini Nagendra does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Media call it the worst flood of the century in the region. After more than two weeks of relentless rain, Kerala, a state at the southern tip of India, known internationally for its scenic green landscapes, touristic spots and backwaters, is left with over 1 million people in relief camps, and close to 400 reported dead – the number is expected to be much higher, as many areas remain inaccessible .

In the mountainous Coorg or Kodagu district in the neighbouring state of Karnataka, thousands of people have been marooned because of torrential rains. Exacerbated by landslides in hilly terrain, flooding has led to the destruction of homes, bridges, road networks and industries.

Far from being a surprise, the possibility of such devastation was highlighted several years ago.

The need to change our development approach

In 2011, the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, chaired by the internationally renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil, submitted a report to the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests. The report warned that an ill-thought focus on development was impacting the sustainability of the Western Ghats hill chain, one of the world’s most biodiverse areas that runs along the west coast of India. The expert report urged a number of states, including Karnataka and Kerala, to adopt an approach of thoughtful conservation, limiting activities such as quarrying, dams and construction near protected forests in hilly areas. The report was rejected by the Ministry as well as by both states.

With the experience of hindsight, it is clear that the worst flood damage took place in those regions where the Gadgil committee recommended protection.

In Kodagu, for instance, tens to hundreds of thousands of large trees were felled in 2015 to construct a high-tension electric wire line. Uncontrolled sand mining has constrained river flows, while the rapid spread of high-rise buildings on unstable hill slopes has weakened the soil. This unplanned development has left the area susceptible to flash floods and landslides, caused by a combination of tree felling on steep hillslopes and heavy rainfall.

Airports built on water bodies

The flooding of the Kochi airport is another example of poor planning leading to disastrous outcomes. The airport was built on the paddy fields and wetlands adjacent to the Periyar river, and extends up to the banks of the river on one side.

The longest river in Kerala, it has a number of dams – some of which had to be opened to release water during the rains. The airport was badly hit, with estimated economic costs of at least Rs 500 crores because of its forced closure for several days.

The Periyar river is not the only one that has been dammed. The state of Kerala has 44 rivers with a total of 61 dams. Many had to be opened across Kerala as they were dangerously full – a step that, while essential during a time of emergency, contributed to the heavy flooding. A 2017 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India warned that not a single one of these dams had an emergency action plan in place for disaster management. Pre- and post-monsoon safety inspections had not been carried out for any of these dams either.

Given how likely it is that coastal and riverine cities will experience flooding in coming years, you would think we know better than to build airports near bodies of water . Yet Kochi airport is not an exception. The runways of the Mumbai airport have been built over the Mithi river, and the airport is located on a reclaimed pond. One of the runways of the Chennai airport extends over the Adyar river, affecting its long-term safety and stability .

It is no surprise that these airports, which are among the busiest in India, frequently flood when the rains are heavy – leading to large-scale economic losses. Yet the new Navi Mumbai airport is coming up in an equally unsuitable location on coastal wetlands.

Reversing the trend

In the era of climate change we have just entered, extreme rainfall events are going to become increasingly common. Uncontrolled growth at the expense of the environment will severely exacerbate the impacts of climate change. Our cities are simply not prepared for extreme weather events. The recent collapse of a bridge in Genoa , killing at least 43 people, is linked to poor maintenance, but also to heavy rainfall.

Certain types of infrastructure may be less suitable to some contexts in a changing climate scenario. Wildfires in California cause extensive damage to private property because many cities are extending their boundaries into forest areas. As local climate becomes hotter and drier, with fires becoming more likely, new homes are being built in areas that are highly susceptible to fire instead of less exposed locations.

Some cities are seeking to reverse this trajectory of unplanned construction. Nairobi is in the midst of an extensive demolition drive , uprooting thousands of buildings built on riparian land that choke the flow of water and contribute to severe annual floods.

In Seoul, between 2002-2005, the city municipality tore up an elevated highway that had been built over the Cheonggyecheon stream . This internationally famous urban-renewal project reduced traffic, reduced air pollution and cut the urban heat-island effect. In Yonkers, New York, an ongoing project aims to restore the buried Saw Mill river .

Similar urban river daylighting projects are gaining traction in cities around the world. Zurich has been an early pioneer, developing the Bachkonzept (stream concept) to create, restore and uncover a number of streams and springs. London, which built over a number of famous rivers, has now uncovered and restored a number of these waterways , while Sheffield, having experimented with daylighting, is now considering uncovering sections of the local Sheaf river .

The demonstrated ecological and environmental benefits are clear – as are the social and economic returns. For example, Seoul’s iconic Cheonggyecheon stream restoration led to a more than six-fold increase in biodiversity, a 35% decrease in air pollution and a growth in property prices that is double of that in other parts of the city .

The restored stream attracts tens of thousands of visitors daily who contribute significantly to local economy. Such ideas of restoration need to become more widespread, and embedded in routine climate change and disaster management planning. The investment made is amply repaid many times over in economic security and growth, biodiversity, local health and quality of life, and resilience against future disasters.

Once the emergency relief is attended to, Kochi and Kodagu would do well to use their recent experience as a warning of future disasters to come in a world of increasingly uncertain climate.

The focus must be on long-term restoration projects that can reverse some of the environmental and ecological damage that has led to the current situation. But such learning need not be confined to the areas that have experienced the worst. The rest of the world has much to learn as well.

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Situation report on kerala floods and landslides date: 18-10-2021, attachments.

Preview of Sitrep_Kerala Floods and Landslides_18th Oct 2021.pdf

Background:

Kerala is witnessing high-intensity floods due to the incessant rains over the past few days. Residents are cut off in parts of the coastal state of Kerala as the rain started to intensify from late Friday, 15th October 2021. As per the authorities, the worst-affected areas are Kottayam and Idukki, which received 164.5 millimetres and 305.5 mm of rainfall, respectively, since Saturday morning. The heavy rains triggered landslides and swelled many rivers across the state. Roads are swept away, houses are damaged and trees uprooted. Several villages in hilly areas are cut off. At least 26 people have died in landslides and floods triggered by heavy rains in south-western India.

Five Children among are dead. There are fears that the death toll could rise further as many people are missing. Eleven bodies have been found so far in Idukki district and another fourteen in Kottayam district and thousands of people have been evacuated and at least 100 relief camps have been set up. Here is the video showing the flash flood barrelling into the town of Erattupetta in southern Kerala and another clip showing a house disappearing into a river that overflowed into its backyard shows widespread destruction in Kerala.

Kerala floods: The impact of the climate crisis on India’s vulnerable ecology

Several experts believe that kerala’s topography, combined with extreme rainfall events in a short period and unsuitable land use makes the perfect recipe for disaster.

New Delhi: Kerala saw three devastating floods in four years that together killed at least 600 people and wiped out entire habitations, drawing the world’s attention to how the climate crisis is impacting ecologically vulnerable parts of India.

A World Meteorological Organization report highlighted that extreme floods in Kerala in 2018 led to total economic losses of $4.3 billion, the displacement of 1.4 million people, and 5.4 million people being affected in some way in 2018.

Though an economic estimate of the cumulative economic impact of three flood years — 2018, 2019, and now, 2021 — hasn’t been made, it has been an overwhelming blow to infrastructure and livelihoods in the state which continues to reel under the Covid-19 pandemic.

What happened on October 16?

Peninsular India was recording widespread rains since October 11 even before flooding was triggered in some districts of Kerala on October 16. In September, south peninsular India recorded 21.6% excess rains.

On October 14, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that two low-pressure areas — one over east-central and the adjoining southeast Arabian Sea, and another over the central Bay of Bengal (BoB) — formed, which would bring heavy rain to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, coastal and south interior Karnataka, along with Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal on the east coast.

“Though on two different sides, these low-pressure systems influenced circulation patterns. The system over BoB helped strengthen the winds along the Arabian Sea. It also influenced the movement of the low-pressure area over the Arabian Sea, which came very close to the Kerala coast and interacted with the hilly regions, bringing a lot of rain in certain parts. We cannot comment on how the rain triggered landslides, but rainfall amounts were very high,” explained K Sathi Devi, head of the National Weather Forecasting Centre.

Between October 16 and the morning of October 17, Idukki recorded 31 centimetres (cm) of rain, Kottayam — 27 cm, Thrissur and Kollam — 17 cm, Kozhikode — 15 cm, Kannur and Pathanamthitta — 14 cm. With already high water levels in reservoirs, rivers and streams may have overflown due to a sudden increase in rain on October 16.

“While BoB low-pressure system moved west northwestwards across north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast, the Arabian Sea system moved east southeastwards and finally the BoB low-pressure system moved towards Telangana and the Arabian Sea system reached Kerala coast on October 16. There was maximum rainfall activity over Kerala compared to other states. This low-pressure system led to the strengthening of monsoon westerly winds near the Kerala coast, which interacted with ghat areas resulting in heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over Kerala specially Idukki, Kollam, and Ernakulam districts experienced extremely heavy rain,” explained M Mohapatra, director-general, IMD.

Kerala: Vulnerable to climate disasters

The elevation in Kerala ranges from -48 metres (m) below sea level in the backwaters and other low-lying areas, to +2,692 m in the hills above the mean sea level. Around 35% of the area is between 0-50m, 39.82% of the area is between 50-500 m, and 24% of the area is above 500m, making its topography vulnerable, according to a presentation made by KJ Ramesh, former director-general of IMD based on data from National Remote Sensing Centre in 2018.

Several experts believe that Kerala’s topography, combined with extreme rainfall events in a short period and unsuitable land use makes the perfect recipe for disaster.

Interestingly, the monsoon rain has weakened over Kerala, and the state has witnessed a significant drying trend in recent years.

According to Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region, a report by the ministry of earth sciences published last year, as compared to 1901–1975, rainfall has reduced by 1–5 mm/day during 1976–2015 over central parts of India (the core monsoon zone), Kerala, and extreme northeastern parts, and has increased over the Jammu and Kashmir region as well as in parts of western India.

Central India, Kerala, some regions of the south peninsula, along with the northeastern parts of India, also experienced a higher annual frequency of droughts, with more than two droughts per decade on average from 1951–2016, the report added.

Despite the weakening of monsoon circulation, there has been a threefold rise in extreme rain events over central India and the Western Ghats, including parts of Kerala, according to a study led by Roxy Mathew Koll and his team at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) published in Nature in 2017. This concluded that the threefold rise in extreme rain along the west coast and central India was recorded from 1950 to 2015.

“Changes in the monsoon winds are reflected well in Kerala, due to its proximity to the Arabian Sea. The moisture carrying monsoon winds interact with the mountainous topography of Kerala, resulting in orographic rainfall. Rainfall data since 1950 shows that the frequency of extreme rainfall events has increased over Kerala, particular for the central hilly regions of the Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts. Here, the total rainfall during the monsoon season has decreased, but the number of heavy rains has increased. There is a clear climate crisis signal because, as the temperature rises, the moisture-holding capacity of the air increases. Hence, it does not rain for a long period, and when it rains, it dumps all the moisture in a short spell,” explained Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at IITM, Pune.

“The landslides and floods are not solely due to heavy rains. Often, we are quick to blame the climate crisis. However, we need to realise that roughly half of Kerala is hills and mountainous regions, where the slope is more than 20 degrees. These places are, hence, prone to landslides. When we have land-use changes and development such as quarrying, roads, construction, and deforestation in these regions, the vulnerability of these hills increases. Hence, when heavy rains lash on these hills, landslides happen quickly. This is a situation where the impact of both climate change and direct human intervention in terms of land-use changes are manifesting as landslides and floods,” he added.

These extreme rain events interact with the topography. This mechanism was seen during all three floods in the past four years. IMD, in its report on the 2018 Kerala floods, said that the landslides and floods “can be attributed to [the] consecutive formation (within seven days) of the low pressure system on August 6 and 13 morning. Further both these low-pressure systems intensified into depression and moved west-northwestwards along the monsoon trough. It led to [the] strengthening of westerly-southwesterly winds along and off Kerala coasts as the cross-equatorial monsoon flow increased towards the region of low-pressure system. These stronger winds interacted with the Western Ghats leading to [the] orographic uplifting of moist air.”

This led to the development of clouds, and, hence, heavy rainfall. This year too, the strong westerly winds from the Arabian Sea interacted with the ghat regions to bring unprecedented amounts of rain during a short time.

“Kerala gets good rains during monsoons, over 300 cm annually. Over 10% of Kerala’s land is coastal, and the easternmost part is mostly a hilly region. Almost 50% of Kerala’s land is hilly or ghat dominated. Geographically, this makes Kerala extremely vulnerable. So, when the monsoon is very active, or a low-pressure area develops, there can be very heavy rain over the ghat regions because of the interaction of winds from the Arabian Sea with the hill regions. In August and September, when this happens, the rivers and reservoirs are already full, and start overflowing, triggering mudslides and landslides. This year, the monsoon was very active in September, leading to full rivers and then, once again, low-pressure areas developed in October resulting in floods,” explained DS Pai, scientist and head of climate research and services, IMD Pune.

He highlighted that “heavy rain in monsoon is not a surprise for Kerala. My understanding is that extreme rainfall induced by the climate crisis is exacerbated by land-use change in Kerala. Kerala has one of the highest population densities and people are inhabiting ghat areas. They are doing agriculture and monocultures there which has a big impact in triggering severe disasters like we are seeing.”

“This is a combination of the global climate crisis and local, undesirable changes in land use in Kerala and the entire Western Ghats. Illegal store quarries, for example, all along the Western Ghats are causing severe localised aerosol loading which leads to fluctuation in rainfall patterns. For example, rainfall that may have occurred over 5-6 hours can occur in half an hour in some areas. In Ratnagiri, we saw devastating floods this monsoon which is also very clearly linked to land-use change. There is photographic evidence to show road construction works through hills triggered landslides in Konkan. So today, what Kerala is experiencing is a result of global climate change and local extremely undesirable land use planning,” said Madhav Gadgil, chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel and veteran ecologist.

Kerala has to brace for another climate crisis impact — the rise in sea level. The Indian Ocean, which includes the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, has warmed faster than the global average, said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) with “very high confidence” in its Physical Science Basis report released in August.

IPCC’s oceans factsheet indicates that sea surface temperature over the Indian Ocean is likely to increase by 1 to 2 degrees C (°C) when there is 1.5°C to 2°C global warming.

“About 50% of the sea level rise is due to the thermal expansion. Also, the Indian Ocean region is warming at a higher rate that means the relative sea level can also increase over the regions. Hence, the coastal regions in India will see the sea level rise through the 21st century, and it will contribute to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low level areas and coastal erosion. Along with this, extreme sea level events that were previously seen once in a hundred years, could also happen every year by the end of the century,” Swapna Panickal, IPCC author and climate scientist from IITM explained in August.

Lack of land-use planning

The Western Ghats are an extremely ecologically fragile region. The Madhav Gadgil Committee (Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel or WGEEP) in 2010 recommended that 75% of the 129,037 sq km of the area (spanning Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa) be declared an environmentally sensitive area (ESA) because of its dense, rich forest cover, and a large number of endemic species.

WGEEP advocated a graded or layered approach within the broad framework of ESZ1 (environmentally sensitive zone), ESZ2 and ESZ3.

Later, a panel headed by K Kasturirangan, the former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief, scaled it down to 50%. The Gadgil committee categorised several areas in ghat regions of Kerala as ESZ 1 —of highest priority where no monocultures, mining, quarrying, no new polluting industry can be allowed, among other restrictions.

Neither of the two reports has been implemented yet. A senior official of the Union environment ministry said, on condition of anonymity, in August that “states had various reservations with the recommendations. And because of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have sought time till December 31 to declare ESAs in the Western Ghats, so we have time to discuss and resolve the differences with the Western Ghat states.”

“The Western Ghats are the perfect storm because of coastal areas vulnerable to any activity in the Arabian sea, being ecologically sensitive and significant, and then there is the land-use that is far from optimal, to say nothing of the unequal patterns of ad-hoc development. We cannot be responding to each event as a standalone. These events are happening all too often and usually in tandem with other stressors such as what’s happening with Covid-19 or for many people, existing stresses of poverty and inequality. The Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction also suggests that we adopt a more pre-emptive strategy to dealing with disasters rather than after the fact. What’s compounding the issue in the Western Ghats is the planning and land-use activity that hasn’t fully taken into account suggestions by the Gadgil committee. One of the key aspects of that report was to consult with local bodies and Panchayats on any development activities in the region,” said Smitha Rao, a faculty member at The Ohio State University who specialises in disasters and environmental justice.

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Kerala Floods 2018: Impacts and Lessons Drawn

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First Online: 27 October 2022
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Ajinder Walia 2 ,
Pallvi Sharma 2 &
Naima Nusrat 3

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Kerala, the southwest coastal state of India which ranks high on the Human Development Index, became vulnerable to severe flooding during the southwest monsoons of 2018. The state faced the worst floods in the century due to above-normal rainfall from June to August 2018. The above-normal rainfall was supplemented by a lack of integration of sustainable development practices and disaster risk management strategies. The floods affected all the districts of the state and led to the loss of over 400 precious lives along with extensive damage to infrastructure and property. It also triggered about 341 landslides in the area. The community including fishermen and women-centric organizations like Kudumbashree participated actively in responding to the disaster. Technology including WhatsApp, GIS, and crowdsourcing was used actively by the community during the search, rescue, and relief phase. The floods highlighted many constraints like lack of proper management and monitoring of critical natural resources such as water and land which left the state unprepared for major disasters caused by natural hazards. The disaster also highlighted crucial lessons to be adopted by other coastal states of the country which are expected to face increased flooding in the coming times due to climatic changes.

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Walia, A., Sharma, P., Nusrat, N. (2022). Kerala Floods 2018: Impacts and Lessons Drawn. In: Singh, A. (eds) International Handbook of Disaster Research. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8800-3_188-1

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03 September 2018

Mining and dams exacerbated devastating Kerala floods

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Torrential rains pounded southwest India in August, triggering devastating floods in the state of Kerala that have so far killed at least 483 people and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. The monsoon rains have been heavier than usual, but scientists say that outdated dam-management systems and increasing mining and development in the Western Ghats mountain range — a biodiversity hotspot that ecologists are trying to conserve — exacerbated the disaster.

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Kerala floods: climate change and human activity blamed for devastating rain

Families in south indian state relive harrowing experience of 2018 and 2020 flooding devastations, dramatic video shows house washed away in floods in kerala, india.

Dramatic video shows house washed away in floods in Kerala, India

As soon as the first warning came about intense rainfall in Kerala , Rijo Rajan knew instantly it could again turn into a nightmare.

Mr Rajan, 28, and his family immediately began preparing for the impending deluge amid fears of devastating floods similar to those that struck the coastal Indian state in recent years.

By Sunday evening, their worst fears had been realised as incessant rain caused landslides and flash floods in a disaster some experts have blamed on climate change .

Mr Rajan’s two-storey house in Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district was half-marooned in brown water gushing from the overflowing Pamba and Manimala rivers.

With no electricity and fears of more rain, the family of five, including grandparents, are helplessly hoping for mercy.

Mr Rajan said his family was reliving the harrowing experience of floods in his home town last year and in 2018.

“We are just praying for the rains to stop. We are very worried for our lives,” Mr Rajan, a chef, told The National from his flooded home.

“There is no power supply and we are going through a difficult time.”

Experts say flooding is an environmental calamity, which can be blamed on climate change and “man-made disaster”.

An Indian man clears mud from his home after heavy rain hits Kottayam in Kerala, causing a landslide. EPA

Kerala, a state of 34 million people, witnessed the worst floods in a century in 2018 when severe rains caused flashfloods and landslides, killing nearly 500 people and leaving a million homeless.

The following year, more than 125 people were killed in flashfloods and landslides across the state. More than 50 were killed in August last year after landslides struck the hilly Munnar region.

The latest spell of torrential rains was caused by mini-cloudbursts triggered by an unusual transformation of the cloud system over the Western Ghats, Dr S Abhilash, an atmospheric scientist at the Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kerala, told The National .

“Kerala never experienced this type of classical cloudburst exceeding 100 millimetre in one hour, but considering the vulnerable landscapes, the mountain region, a rainfall of 50mm can trigger a lot of damage,” said Dr Abhilash.

“We expect mini-cloudburst events as the change in climate is supporting that because global warming is adding more water vapour to the atmosphere and it will produce a lot of heavy rain.”

Heavy rains have hit the state since Friday and India’s weather office on Monday said the inclement weather would continue. It warned of more rains lashing the region until Thursday, further increasing Mr Rajan’s worries as authorities opened shutters at Kakki dam to release excess water.

Bodies recovered

Teams of emergency workers and the army recovered 27 bodies. The majority were from Kottayam and Idukki, the two worst-affected districts that received 164.5mm and 305.5mm rain, respectively, on Saturday.

Officials said dozens were still missing as about 9,000 people had been transferred to temporary shelters across the state.

Scores of houses and roads were swept in the floods and landslides, with military helicopters being pressed to reach areas disconnected by the floods.

Most parts of Kerala fall under the highly ecologically sensitive region in the Western Ghats, a mountain range extending through India’s west coast, and one the world's largest biodiversity hotspots.

In 2011, a government committee headed by ecologist Madhav Gadgil had recommended that all of the Western Ghats be declared a sensitive region and “almost all developmental activities such as mining, thermal and power plants halted in it”.

But development such as roads, buildings and rock quarries in sensitive areas of the state have helped cause natural disasters, said Dr Abhilash.

Any infrastructural activity on the hill slopes can adversely impact the region’s environment, with regular downpours causing soil erosion and landslides, he said.

People clear mud and slush from their flood-hit house following heavy rain in Kottayam district of Kerala, India. EPA

“The event is a combination of man-made disaster and climate change. Though rainfall is triggering this, the man-made activities in Western Ghats are aggravating the disaster potential,” Dr Abhilash said.

The coastal state is also facing severe challenges because of rising sea levels, with a recent visualisation tool released by Nasa projecting sea levels in the state’s largest city Kochi to rise by 300mm in the next four decades.

A 2018 report by India’s National Centre for Coastal Research said several coastal regions in the state had witnessed up to a 45 per cent reduction in the shoreline because of soil erosion.

Dr Abhilash said the state could continue to be in the grip of similar natural disasters if swift corrective measures including reduced human footprints were not taken.

“The policymakers know the solution but we have to reduce the human-footprint on highly ecologically sensitive regions."

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How the Kerala floods showed humanity still rocks

Kerala is "striving together as a fraternity to overcome the catastrophic flood" and "exhibiting monumental strength to bounce back from this tragedy", chief minister pinarayi vijayan's office said. .

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How the Kerala floods showed humanity still rocks

Monsoon floods have killed over 350 people in Kerala
Citizens have showed tremendous strength in the face of such adversity
Here's a brief overview of some of the most inspiring stories & images

Monsoon floods have killed over 350 people and laid waste to homes and farmland in Kerala -- but its spirit, the defiant, hopeful pulse of a people working to rebuild their lives, remains unshattered.

Vijayan has told his cabinet that Kerala will need mega-funds to rebuild areas hit by floods, and rehabilitate victims. "We have been worst-hit with the flood of the century. The damage is beyond imagination ," he said.

WATCH | My Take with Rajdeep Sardesai: This is a moment to stand united for Kerala

Kerala Flood Essay in English

Kerala Flood: Why A Natural Calamity Happened?

Kerala Flood Essay in English Kerala is a place where floods often come. This state has the worst history when it comes to floods. In the history of Kerala, 8 th August 2018 was the black day. On this day, the state encountered heavy rainfall. As per the records, 12 inches of rainfall were hit the state within 24 hours. This flood was one of the worst ones than ever encountered in 1924. In the year 1924, 3368 mm rainfall and 2086 mm rainfall was reported in the year 2018 in the state of Kerala.

At that time, at least 20 million people were affected by this natural disaster, which took place after the heavy rainfall on 16 th August 2018. This state is an area, where not only rainfalls, even landslides are common. In many parts of the state, landslides, cloudbursts, and rainfalls are common to take place.

One-sixth of the total population of this state was affected by the flood. In this incident, around 445 people were reported dead, while 140 people were missing. There are 14 districts in Kerala and all of them were on high red alert when this natural calamity was about to happen.

The flood which took place after the heavy rainfall in the state was declared as a level three natural disaster by the Government of India. From this thing, it is concluded that the natural disaster was devastating and its nature was severe.

There are many causes of floods in Kerala. Firstly, we will talk about the condition of dams in Kerala, which can be a major cause behind such devastating calamities.

Essay on Flood in Kerala in English

Conditions of dams.

In Kerala, there are 54 dams and out of which thirty-five dams were opened due to the heavy rainfall in 2018. This happened for the first time in Indian history when such a huge number of dams were in the opening condition.

Even all the gates of Idukki dams were unlocked for the first time in twenty-six years and all the 5 gates of the Malampuzha dam were also unlocked, this dam is located at Palakkad.

What are the major reasons to notice?

Based on the study by the Metro Man of India, Mr. E Sreedharan, the Government of Kerala is the culprit behind this devastating situation of Kerala at that time. He is a noted engineer and confirms that the Kerala government should be blamed.

He also stated that this flood in Kerala was a man-made calamity. There are many possible reasons, which are responsible for this lethal disaster in the state of Kerala. These reasons are mentioned below:

Deforestation Heavy rainfall Mismanagement of dams Changing the flow of the rivers Overpopulation Inaccurate construction of banks Mining and quarrying Construction The Indian Meteorological Department Pollutants were thrown in Rivers

Heavy rainfall

In 2018, Kerala received 116% more monsoon rainfall than it actually receives. Of course, rains are unpredictable. This is why it is not easy to predict what is going in the next moment. However, this factor cannot be a single reason for this disaster.

Deforestation

After the days of independence, the green cover around Kerala has been eradicated. The decrease in green cover in Kerala was due to rapid development. As a result, it decreased the water absorption capacity of land and developed the stage of water stagnation. It could be one of the causes of destruction in 2018.

Altering the river’s flow

Kerala is known as a state of rivers. It has a maximum number of rivers with a 3 rd position in the country. Nature has set up everything in the best form for humans. But humans are playing with nature.

Nature defined the purpose in keeping the river flow in the Arabian Sea, but people have changed this setting for their benefit. This is why changing the flow of rivers could also be a big reason behind this massive disaster in Kerala.

Overpopulation

Kerala is one of the highly populated states in India. The more population, the more chances of destruction. This is why this disaster could be due to the higher population in Kerala.

Mismanagement of dams

As mentioned above, many dams were opened at that time when the rainfall was predicted. The dam authorities were at fault, as the water was released in huge amounts and they were waiting till the water reached the danger mark. It clearly stated that the water was not released with safety.

The Indian Meteorological Department

Once this calamity happened, people targeted the Indian Meteorological Department, as they are responsible to make predictions for heavy rains. While on the other side, this department targeted the human activities of deforestation and other human acts.

Mining and quarrying

Day by day, these human acts have also been increasing. With such acts, the soil loses its grip and becomes incapable of neither holding water nor the soil particles. This can be a reason why there are higher landslides in this area.

According to the report by the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, the regions impacted by the floods were already mentioned in the ecologically sensitive zones.

Construction on Hilly areas

With the increase in population, the area is becoming restricted. People began construction at hilly places. At that time, the construction took place in a bad way without even examining the flow of water, even the rainfall was supposed to happen, this thing should not be mistaken.

This unplanned construction and the irresponsibility of appropriate authority to control the flood could be also a reason.

Final verdict

We cannot blame nature for such calamities to happen. Human acts are also responsible for these disasters as they are going against the will of Mother Nature. In Kerala, the government should take appropriate steps to control these incidents.

There should be rescue operation teams and the management to check the plans and actions of the National Disaster Management Policy. This is why we can say that there is not just a single reason behind the happening of floods in the state of Kerala.

This is about Kerala flood in English essay, from this entire article, we cover information regarding about Kerala flood 2019 essay in English pdf, essay on Kerala flood 2018 in English. If found anything missing let us know by commenting below. For more info kindly visit us at wikiliv.com

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Kerala floods Timeline: Story of the state's worst flood in 94 years

Kerala has been ravaged by floods and landslides amid heavy rains (File| PTI)

Since May 2018, unusually high levels of rain took over the state of Kerala. The devastation that ensued resembled that of the 1924 floods, which is popularly called the "Great Flood of 99." As of August 30, the final death toll, declared by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, stands at 483, and 15 people are missing.

The CM said reconstruction measures would be discussed on wider platforms and guidelines would be finalised by the Cabinet to avoid delays. He also reiterated his reservations about allowing construction in landslide- and flood-prone regions, especially in Idukki.

Presenting a resolution at the one-day special Assembly session to discuss the feasibility of environment-friendly constructions while rebuilding the flood-ravaged Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state expects more relief from the Centre after the final assessment of damages in the catastrophic flood.

Pinarayi said different agencies from across the world have offered help. The World Bank team has held a discussion with the chief secretary. State's policy is to accept help from any quarters, if it is in line with the state's interests.

Livelihood restoration is essential for bringing back people to normal life. The economy is at a standstill. The chief minister said the service of fishermen was crucial in turning rescue operations a success.

The following timeline outlines some of the key events of the 2018 Kerala floods.

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