Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) has stepped in with urgent recommendations to mitigate potential disasters, as climate volatility continues to reshape rainfall patterns across southern India.
Kozhikode recorded a staggering 620 mm of rainfall between May 24 and 31—amounting to 28% of the city’s average seasonal total in just one week. The abnormality lies not in volume but intensity, with short, violent bursts of rain followed by dry spells, creating conditions ripe for landslides, flash floods, and infrastructure breakdowns. According to CWRDM, this year’s early onset—one of the earliest since 1990—signals a larger trend towards unpredictable monsoon behaviour driven by global climate shifts.
Dr Manoj P Samuel, Executive Director at CWRDM, noted that nearly half the monsoon seasons since 1970 have begun before June 1, pointing to a systemic climate shift exacerbated by warming ocean surfaces in the Arabian Sea and stronger atmospheric disturbances like the Madden-Julian Oscillation. “The total rainfall may not have changed much, but the nature of its distribution has become increasingly erratic,” he said.This pattern is proving particularly hazardous for Kerala, a state with a high-density population, fragile hilly terrain, and ageing public infrastructure. To confront the mounting risks, CWRDM has advised a multi-pronged strategy blending immediate preventive actions with long-term systemic reforms.
Among its urgent recommendations is the clearing of first-order natural drains and local streams to prevent urban waterlogging. Water management from dams and check-dams must shift from static protocols to intelligent systems that regulate discharge based on real-time rainfall data. Over-retention in upper catchments, CWRDM warned, could significantly worsen downstream flooding.Additionally, the agency has urged the geo-tagging of high-risk locations—especially schools, hospitals, and low-lying transport corridors—to ensure timely evacuation and emergency response. In landslide-prone districts, soil conservation must be enforced alongside efforts to build climate-resilient public health infrastructure, including issuing boil-water advisories in flood-impacted areas.
The broader strategy leans heavily on enhancing real-time weather monitoring and community-based disaster readiness. CWRDM advocates training localised rapid response units and mapping safe zones accessible to citizens during emergencies. Moreover, integrating high-resolution climate models into agricultural planning is key to promoting climate-smart farming practices and protecting food security.Kerala’s vulnerability has long been acknowledged, especially following back-to-back flooding disasters in 2018 and 2019. Yet, the repeated stress tests on the state’s infrastructure suggest that adaptive planning and climate integration are still falling short of the urgency required.
While the latest warnings and proposals from CWRDM offer a road map, implementation across panchayats, municipalities, and planning departments remains a formidable challenge. As monsoon unpredictability intensifies year after year, Kerala—and India’s broader coastal regions—must embrace a shift from reactive relief to proactive resilience.
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