Mongabay series: Flood and drought
Flood is an overflow of water, while a drought is a prolonged shortage of water. India witnesses both and sometimes, at the same time. Unusual rainfall patterns are becoming commonplace now and trigger disasters such as floods and droughts which are related to the timing of the rainfall, rather than the quantum of rainfall. From long dry spells to excessive rainfall, recent monsoons in India have been seasons of extremes. The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR6 predicts that south Asia, including India, will see more extreme weather events in the years to come. The Indian subcontinent could witness more heat extremes and droughts, as well as extreme rainfall events, it says. When weather patterns deviate from the norm, farmers, whose livelihoods are tied to predictable weather patterns, are among the many who bear the brunt. This in turn has ramifications for India’s food and water security. In this series, we will look at the trends of floods and droughts in India and the climate crisis that is exacerbating them.
Environment factors push people out of their homes on India’s east coast, leaving behind ‘ghost villages’
Glaciers at Pangong in Ladakh retreated 6.7% since 1990, says recent research
Chennai’s fight to preserve its wetlands and stay above water
Planted forests can tackle flood and erosion impacts along the Brahmaputra
Extreme weather events and agriculture: what are the impacts and what’s in store?
Freely-available geospatial dataset to make flood research easier
[Interview] Chennai floods again after losing many blue and green spaces
Unseasonal rains take 79 lives in Uttarakhand, some experts link it to climate change
Extreme weather becomes the new normal in India’s main monsoon season
The home of Chipko movement, now epicentre of disasters and relocation challenges
Most famines in south India under British rule due to minor rainfall fluctuations, rather than extreme events
To escape floodwaters, Kaziranga’s large herbivores risk moving through human-dominated spaces: study
Why are residents of low-lying Kuttanad abandoning their homes?
With poor regulation of floodplains, India is more vulnerable to flood damage
The cyclone has passed but the storm of destruction continues
Cyclone Yaas imperils communities in low-lying coastal areas of Bay of Bengal
Cyclone Tauktae exposes vulnerabilities along India’s west coast
Southern India’s 2016-2018 drought was the worst in 150 years
Checking spread of invasive alien fish as India faces climate extremes
Special series
Wetland Champions
- [Commentary] India establishes the largest network of Ramsar Sites in South Asia
- [Commentary] Wetland champions: Promise from the grassroots
- The story of Jakkur lake sets an example for inclusive rejuvenation projects
- Welcome to Tsomgo lake: Please don’t litter
Environment And Health
- Stitching sustainability amidst climate change challenges
- Gujarat bans exotic Conocarpus tree amid health and environment hazard
- Malaria-carrying mosquitoes shift homes from forests to rice fields
- [Commentary] Neglecting household biomedical waste management can lead to adverse environmental effects
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Saving India’s wild ‘unicorns’
- Indrella ampulla’s genetic tapestry unveils colour morphs isolated across the Palghat Gap
- [Commentary] Up close and personal with the fragility of the Himalayas
- Studies reveal impact of land use on species diversity in rock outcrops
Beyond Protected Areas
- Rehabilitating trafficked star tortoises using genetic intelligence
- [Interview] Richie Mehta on addressing the elephant in the room in ‘Poacher’
- Scientists leap beyond Latin to give local flair to species names
- Deaths in human-animal conflict in Wayanad spark protests and debates
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- [Commentary] GROW with agroforestry, a step towards sustainable land management
- Millet tradition loses flavour among Madhya Pradesh’s tribals
- A village nurtures traditional food systems in response to climate change
- Rising air pollution impacts India’s crop yields and food security
Just Transitions
- How unplanned coal mine closures in India are affecting dependent communities, especially women
- Green Credit Scheme’s ‘methodology’ doesn’t inspire confidence among experts
- Conflict over critical mineral prospecting in Odisha signals need for better community involvement
- Fuel leak in Manipur raises concerns over water contamination