India under the deluge

topic:	Natural disaster
located:	India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Chad
editor:	Bindu Gopal Rao

In September 2022, India's Silicon Valley, Bengaluru, flooded due to incessant rains. One month later, the same story continues to play out. Yet, Bengaluru is not alone in this predicament: Pakistan, Nigeria, Australia, Vietnam, Chad, and more countries have had serious issues with flooding in the past year.

The flooding is a result of the lack of drainage systems to balance the heavy rainfall and the overflowing of rivers and oceans caused by climate change.

In Bengaluru specifically, apart from the torrential rains, the main issue is that there are no stormwater drains. In fact, several stormwater drains have been closed to make way for new constructions as the city expands and tries to welcome migrants that arrive in search of better job prospects.

However, the issue is not really isolated to one city, as the primary reason is that rain levels continue to increase due to climate change. The consequences of this manifest themselves in various ways, including displacement, making people into climate refugees as they seek shelter and food away from the deluged lands.

The impact of climate change especially affects marginalised communities. In fact, changes in typical rain patterns are causing several South Asian coastal communities to disappear as flash floods destroy farming activities and rising sea levels have submerged several coastal islands. To combat this change, locals are planting mangroves to combat flooding since they slow down water encroachment and act as carbon sinks. Raised homes are another solution for people who live close to water.

The other issue that is lesser known is the impact on psychological and physical health caused by flooding. Even after the water recedes, it leaves behind an aftermath of disease and destruction. Apart from drownings, injuries and electrocution, there are also issues of bacteria-related diseases, especially in the poor-hygiene conditions generated by the destruction. The stagnant water that remains is also a breeding ground for mosquitoes that cause malaria and dengue.

As the country continues to battle the impact of flooding and other climate catastrophes, it has turned to searching for versatile solutions, including better drainage systems that do not clog and using geo-composites that do not block fine gravel and sand. Hydroseeding, a method of helping seeds germinate quickly by spraying a seed, mulch, fertiliser and a bonding agent on the ground, has been used in Assam to prevent landslides.

Even as technological startups and government-funded organisations work on improving methods to tackle issues of flooding and climate change, there is much left to be done. However, the real impact will only come when these solutions have a far-reaching impact that is both cost-effective and timely.

Photo by Misbahul Aulia

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