Why do floods occur?
Floods are often caused by heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt or a storm surge from a tropical cyclone or tsunami in coastal areas. Flash floods are caused by rapid and excessive rainfall that raises water heights quickly, and rivers, streams, channels or roads may be overtaken.
What caused Kerala floods 2018?
On 16 August 2018, severe floods affected the south Indian state Kerala, due to unusually high rainfall during the monsoon season….2018 Kerala floods.
| Date | July 2018 – August 2018 |
|---|---|
| Location | Kerala, India |
| Cause | Heavy rain Discharges Landslide |
| Deaths | 483 dead,15 went missing |
Why have the floods in Kerala been so deadly?
Floods in the southern Indian state of Kerala have killed more than 350 people since June. The BBC’s Navin Singh Khadka explains why they were so deadly this time. The devastating floods in Kerala peaked last week. The monsoon rains have since begun to ease and rescue teams have been deployed, but thousands of people remain marooned.
Which districts of Kerala have received more rainfall than normal?
Between August 8 and August 15, each of the 14 districts of the state recorded much more than normal rainfall. The worst hit were the districts of Idukki (679 mm), Wayanad (536.8 mm), Mallapuram (447.7mm), Kozhikode (375.4 mm) and Palakkad (350 mm), each of which received rains that were several times more than the normal.
How many people are affected by floods in India?
According to risk management agency, Care Ratings, floods have affected more than four million people, a significant percentage of them labourers. In August alone, people would lose wages worth Rs 4,000 crore. More than one million people are in relief camps that would take around Rs 300 crore a month to maintain.
Why is India still facing a rainfall deficit?
Despite floods in nine states, 41 per cent of India’s districts are still facing a rainfall deficit (see ‘Excess rains plague India’). What made this “abnormal” climatic episode deadly were the state’s faulty disaster responses—both short- and long-term.