Thread by @Indulekha_A

We've been seeing -- and continue to see -- heavy rains, flood and landslide in August. Is this the 'new normal' and is India ready for it? Short thread from the ET Magazine cover story (Link: ecoti.in/DgN_hb ) 1/n

Scientists are loathe to ascribe one particular event, like one particular flood, to climate change. But what they do say, based on data so far, is that:
1. Days with moderate rainfall are decreasing, days with heavy to very heavy rainfall are increasing 2/n

2. Due to global warming, the atmosphere's capacity to hold moisture and the rate of absorption of moisture are increasing. This means that combined with the formation of a low pressure system (which is normal), when it rains, it pours 3/n

3. This means the variability of the monsoon is increasing -it could be a year with a normal monsoon, but the distribution could still be "abnormal", resulting in floods. Importantly, scientists warn that as global warming increases, so does the risk of floods 4/n #Monsoon2019

Mitigating climate-change is essential but that's a long-term game the benefits of which, as one scientist told me, will be felt by the next generation. But in the short-term we need to focus on better early warning & evacuation AND adaptation measures. This includes:

1. Changing our reservoir mngmt guidelines so that all the water is not released only at the last minute when the dams are full, leading to flooding
2. Spatial planning & better land-use so that there's no major infrastructure, settlements on flood plains, wetlands are conserved

Carrying out any infrastructure dvmpt only after factoring in climate change -- from the house you're building to a bullet train. As IIT Gandhinagar's Prof Mishra says, if the bullet train gets washed away or the tracks are submerged, that's not very helpful

And the time for all this is NOW. This cannot be emphasised enough. The Gadgil report, when submitted, was roundly rejected. We can't afford such decisions anymore. #KeralaFloods & #KarnatakaFloods show why. (Fin)
ecoti.in/DgN_hb