India grapples with expanding flood crisis amid escalating climate risks

By: Shantanu Bhattacharji

Recent extreme weather has exposed major gaps in early warnings, land-use planning, and resilient infrastructure. As climate risks grow, experts call for proactive adaptation—improved forecasting, stricter regulation, and stronger defences in vulnerable areas.

A devastating flash flood tore through Dharali village in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand on August 5, washing away homes and hotels and leaving at least 60 people missing. The dramatic footage, widely shared on social media, has once again spotlighted the escalating human and economic toll of extreme weather events in India.

Uttarakhand’s neighbouring hill state, Himachal Pradesh, has been hit even harder. Relentless rains have claimed at least 190 lives there in recent weeks. Further south and east, the plains of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh are grappling with widespread flooding, displacing thousands and damaging critical infrastructure, farmland, and homes.

Natural disasters are a recurring reality in India, claiming more than 1,000 lives annually. But the scale and severity appear to be intensifying. In the fiscal year 2024–25, India recorded over 3,000 deaths from natural calamities—the highest in more than a decade. That marks a sharp increase from 2,616 deaths in 2023–24 and nearly double the toll in 2022–23, pointing to a troubling acceleration in climate-related risks.

Himachal Pradesh accounted for the highest number of deaths this year at 408, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 373 and Kerala with 355. Gujarat and Maharashtra also witnessed heavy losses, with 230 and 206 fatalities, respectively. Beyond the top five, Karnataka reported 185 deaths, Rajasthan 131, Assam 128, and Chhattisgarh 125. The broad geographic spread of these figures highlights a key concern: extreme weather is no longer confined to specific regions. It has become increasingly erratic, intense, and widespread.

This evolving pattern underscores the urgent need for a more coordinated and comprehensive approach to disaster preparedness. Lightning strikes, for instance, were the leading cause of weather-related deaths in 2022, followed by heatstroke and cold exposure—while floods ranked only fourth. These lesser-known threats receive relatively little policy attention but are proving to be equally, if not more, deadly.

Some legacy risks have faded. Deaths from starvation—still officially classified as natural disasters—have become rare in recent years, reflecting progress in food security. But emerging hazards, exacerbated by climate change, are stretching India’s disaster management systems to the brink.

The recent surge in extreme weather has exposed critical gaps in early warning systems, land-use regulation, and infrastructure resilience. As climate volatility becomes the norm rather than the exception, experts warn that India must shift from reactive relief to proactive adaptation—strengthening forecasting, enforcing environmental safeguards, and building resilient infrastructure in vulnerable zones.

The mounting death toll, expanding geographic impact, and shifting nature of disasters all point to a country entering a new era of climate vulnerability—one that existing frameworks are ill-equipped to manage. The data tell a clear story: extreme weather is becoming more frequent, more severe, and less predictable. Without a fundamental shift toward risk-informed planning and long-term climate adaptation, the human and economic costs will only grow. India’s challenge is no longer simply responding to disasters—it is preparing for a future defined by them.