Droughts and Floods

Featured Articles
December 12, 2022 Study looks at behavioral biases in crop insurance adoption
Adoption rate of crop insurance low in India despite government efforts (Image: PxHere, CC0 Public Domain)
October 30, 2022 This book by Dr. Mitul Baruah presents a fascinating, ethnographic account of the challenges faced by communities living in Majuli, India, one of the largest river islands in the world, which has experienced immense socio-environmental transformations over the years, processes that are emblematic of the Brahmaputra Valley as a whole. This is an excerpt from the book.
Floods are recurrent phenomena in Assam (Image: Mitul Baruah)
September 13, 2022 Heavy rains and floods have battered Bengaluru yet again. Uncontrolled and unregulated development and concretisation of the city that pays no heed to the ecology and hydrology of the region needs to stop!
Urban flooding in Bangalore (Image Source: Thejas via Wikimedia Commons)
August 21, 2022 Floods are not feared, but rather welcomed by the Mishing communities from Majuli island in Assam as they bring bountiful fish- a rich source of food, nutrition and livelihood for the community.
The Majuli island, a haven for fish (Image Source: Usha Dewani, India Water Portal)
August 10, 2022 The irrigation at all costs mindset and narrow policies for drought protection during the colonial rule ignored rainfed agriculture and local practices that sustained agriculture in the Bombay Deccan. This continues even today.
Recurrent droughts and the struggle for survival (Image Source: Gaurav Bhosale via Wikimedia Commons):
August 2, 2022 The frequency and intensity of floods is on the rise in Assam spelling doom for fish biodiversity.
Life during floods in Assam (Image Source: Kausika Bordoloi via Wikimedia Commons)
Immediate moratorium sought on clearances for large dams in northeast India - Press release by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (Assam)
Recent times have seen many concerns raised both about individual and cumulative impacts (downstream and upstream) of multiple dams planned in the North East region. Posted on 14 Dec, 2010 10:56 PM


23rd November 2010, New Delhi

  • Seeking a moratorium on clearances for large dams in Northeast India
  • Withdrawal of clearances granted to 2000 MW Lower Subansiri, 1750 MW Demwe Lower & 1500 MW Tipaimukh dams
  • Future steps on hydropower projects and dams only after full, prior and informed consent of people in the region
  • Protect the Brahmaputra river basin as a cultural and ecological endowment
People's initiative in water - Olavanna village in Kerala (India) - Reclaiming public lives - Transnational Institute
A people's initiative fights acute drinking water crisis in their village, involves panchayat and forces support of the state government in their mission. Posted on 10 Dec, 2010 06:12 PM

This chapter from the book 'Reclaiming Public Lives' by Transnational Institute describes the case of a small village in the state of Kerala, India, which faced an acute drinking water crisis and describes how people’s initiative, together with the involvement of the local panchayat and the support of the state government, could successfully address the issue of scarce drinking water in the village.

"Indian rivers have not been understood as ecosystems but are treated as conduits of water or wastewater" - Interview with Dr. Brij Gopal
River systems need to be recognised at ecosystem,everything is all bound by it and we should stop trying to divide them along man-made landscapes, and least of all let it divide us. Posted on 17 Nov, 2010 04:42 PM

Dr. Brij Gopal, Vice President, National Institute of Ecology and former Member, Working Group on Minimum Flows, constituted by the Water Quality Assessment Authority, talks to Parineeta Dandekar, India Water Portal about the urgent need of freshwater flows in Indian rivers, and the legal and institutional set ups required to ensure this.

Heavy rains, cyclones and floods affect the life of millions; News Roundup (1-7 November 2010)
Cyclone disrupts life and living in three states, Posted on 09 Nov, 2010 08:09 PM

Recent news indicates extensive reports on the threat and destruction unleashed by cyclone Jal in the three states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka being affected the most. Cyclone Jal has led to heavy rainfall in both these states leading to floods and a heavy death toll in the coastal districts of both the states, besides reports of destruction of agricultural produce in the state of Karnataka.

South India

Andhra Pradesh

Flooding in Pakistan: Updates from Earth Observatory
More than three months after floods first struck Pakistan, waters still lingered west of the Indus River. At the beginning of November, the high waters were receding, but only slowly. Posted on 08 Nov, 2010 10:54 AM

Flooding in Pakistan

Flooding in Pakistan

A blue Pakistan, submerged, in NASA image
Satellite image by NASA show flood waters in Sindh Province of Pakistan two month after the torrential rains and the consequential flood Posted on 27 Oct, 2010 11:09 AM

New satellite images from NASA show the extraordinary scope of the continuing disaster in Pakistan, where thousands of square miles of land remain submerged two months after the country was hit by catastrophic flooding.

A satellite image captured last week shows flood waters lingering in Sindh Province and Manchhar Lake at twice its normal size.

Floods, Rains - News Roundup (7-14 October 2010)
The new round up for the week ending 14 October 2010, indicates that the flood situation in the North East has worsened and attempts are being made at flood management.
Posted on 15 Oct, 2010 02:37 PM

The latest news indicates that the monsoons and the flood situation has receded in most parts of India except in the North East where Manipur valley continues to suffer from incessant rains and flooding with attempts being started at flood management.

Floods, Rains - News Roundup (1-7 October 2010)
News reports on the monsoon indicate heavy rainfall and flooding in parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Posted on 08 Oct, 2010 02:34 PM

Recent reports on the monsoon and the flood situation indicate that the rainfall has receded from northern India and has shifted to the south of India. Reports indicate heavy rainfall and flooding in parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Reports also indicate that India’s 16-week monsoon period has ended last week and the meteorological department has confirmed of 102% than normal rainfall. Inspite of the floods and the problems associated with it, reports also indicate positive news that the heavy rainfall has helped to recharge lakes and water bodies in different parts of India and may see a positive impact on agriculture in the coming days.