Torrential downpours issuing Red Alerts in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat as the Monsoon gains strength, inundating regions and triggering safety concerns
Monsoon Challenges Across India: A Test for Resilience Planning
India is currently grappling with intense monsoon rains, with several states facing the brunt of the weather phenomenon. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Rajasthan and Gujarat have experienced a 92% and 35% rainfall surplus, respectively, as of July 28. This excessive rainfall has led to flooding, power outages, and crop damage in various regions.
The IMD has issued red alerts for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat due to the heavy rain and flooding risks. Reservoirs in these states are nearing full capacity, raising concerns of controlled releases. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, farmers are facing widespread crop damage due to the heavy rain, with potential losses of up to 20% in some regions.
Kerala, too, has been hit hard by the monsoon rains, with multiple landslides reported in the Idukki and Wayanad districts since mid-July. The state has reported 10 fatalities and severe property losses due to these landslides. In Himachal Pradesh, portions of the Chandigarh-Manali highway have been washed away by flash floods, triggering evacuations and rescue operations in Kullu and Mandi districts.
The IMD forecasts heavy rain to persist across central India for the next 72 hours, with East Rajasthan expected to receive extremely heavy rain through July 31. Madhya Pradesh's Susner district recorded 180 mm of rainfall in a single day, causing waterlogged streets and halted train services. The Chambal River in Rajasthan's Kota has crossed danger levels in parts.
Highway construction in Rajasthan and Gujarat has slowed due to the flooding. The 2025 monsoon season is forecast to deliver 106% of the long-period average rainfall, posing additional challenges in the coming days. The IMD has warned that the next few days could bring additional challenges, with persistent heavy rain likely in certain regions.
In response to these extreme weather events, India is implementing long-term resilience planning strategies against climate change and extreme weather events during the monsoon season. The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) seeks to systematically integrate climate adaptation into development policies across sectors like agriculture, water resources, health, and disaster management to build resilience and reduce vulnerabilities in a sustained manner.
Key strategies include localized climate risk mapping and micro-zonation, climate-responsive urban design, agroecological transitions, disaster-resilient infrastructure and early warning systems, and resilient urban development investments. These strategies represent an integrated, innovation-driven framework emphasizing decentralization, inclusivity, and sustainability to future-proof India against the growing threat of extreme weather events intensified by climate change, particularly during the monsoon season.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed teams across several states for rescue operations and setting up relief camps. The Union Health Ministry has directed state authorities to ramp up medical surveillance and deploy mobile health units in affected districts due to concerns over vector-borne diseases from stagnant floodwaters.
These efforts underscore India's commitment to building a resilient and sustainable future in the face of climate change and extreme weather events. As the monsoon season continues, it is crucial that these strategies are effectively implemented to mitigate the impacts of these events and ensure the safety and well-being of India's citizens.
[1] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. (2020). National Adaptation Plan (NAP) of India. Retrieved from https://moefcc.gov.in/sites/default/files/National_Adaptation_Plan_of_India.pdf
[2] National Institute of Urban Affairs. (2019). India's Urban Future: Transformation Through Sustainable Urbanization. Retrieved from https://nua.gov.in/sites/default/files/India_s_Urban_Future_Transformation_Through_Sustainable_Urbanization.pdf
[3] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. (2017). National Urban Development Policy 2017. Retrieved from http://mohua.gov.in/sites/default/files/National_Urban_Development_Policy_2017.pdf
[4] Central Water Commission. (2020). National Water Mission. Retrieved from https://cwc.gov.in/national-water-mission
[5] Indian Council of Agricultural Research. (2020). Climate Change and Agriculture. Retrieved from https://icar.org.in/climate-change-and-agriculture/
- To combat climate change and extreme weather events during the monsoon season, India is focusing on environmental-science and climate-change research, as highlighted in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) of India. [Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, 2020]
- Awareness and education on climate change and its impact on the monsoon season are critical for personal-growth and environmental-self-development in India.
- In response to the monsoon challenges, the integration of climate-responsive urban design into planning and construction can help reduce the frequency and severity of accidents like car-accidents and fires in urban areas.
- The excessive rainfall in the monsoon season affects general-news headlines, with incidents of landslides, floods, and crop damage reported across various regions in India, as seen in the recent reports on Kerala, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
- The growth and development of disaster-resilient infrastructure and early warning systems are crucial components of crime-and-justice and accident mitigation strategies during the monsoon season.
- Accurate weather-forecasting and monitoring are essential for disaster preparedness, as evidenced by the constant updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) regarding the expected heavy rainfall and flooding risks in central India over the next 72 hours. [India Meteorological Department, Current Data]
