“Climate Crisis Escalates: Cyclone Michaung Unveils Vulnerability of Indian Cities to Calamities”
The recent havoc wreaked by Cyclone Michaung in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh has once again brought into sharp focus the perilous vulnerability of Indian cities to climate-induced disasters. Within a span of 48 hours, Chennai found itself grappling with an astonishing 40 cm of rainfall by December 4, 2023, underscoring the severe climate crisis gripping urban India.
The aftermath of Cyclone Michaung resulted in the loss of more than a dozen lives and widespread devastation across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Disturbing visuals emerged, depicting residential buildings submerged and vehicles swept away in the swift currents of waterlogged streets.
While the cyclone played a significant role in the recent flooding and destruction, it was not the sole cause of the calamity. Multiple factors contribute to such disasters, including heavy rainfall, inadequate drainage systems, and the inability of rivers to manage high discharge levels. Urbanization exacerbates the situation, with encroachments on crucial water bodies and ecologically sensitive zones amplifying the impact.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its 2021 report, sounded alarms, predicting that approximately a dozen Indian cities, including Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, and Visakhapatnam, could face submersion under nearly three feet of water by the end of the century.
This isn’t just speculation; over seven million coastal farming and fishing families are grappling with real-time consequences. Coastal erosion, combined with rising sea levels, poses risks to agricultural lands and the livelihoods of these communities.
Moreover, vulnerability isn’t confined to coastal regions alone. Inland cities such as Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and even Delhi have experienced floods and landslides due to erratic monsoons. Delhi, for example, witnessed historic floods, with the Yamuna river surpassing previous water levels, inundating low-lying areas, and impacting infrastructure. The urgent need for comprehensive climate resilience strategies has never been more evident.