Floods in India: Causes and a Comprehensive Roadmap for Solutions
Floods are one of the most recurring and devastating natural disasters in India. Every year, millions of people face displacement, crops are destroyed, infrastructure is damaged, and the economy suffers heavy losses. While monsoon rains are vital for India’s agriculture and water resources, they often bring destruction when rainfall exceeds the carrying capacity of rivers, drains, and soils. Added to this are unplanned urbanization, poor drainage, poor dam management, deforestation, encroachment on wetlands, and climate change, which have transformed floods from seasonal events into national emergencies. The recent floods in Kerala (Wayanad, 2024) , Vijayawada (2024) , Assam and Himachal Pradesh (2025) , Uttarakhand (2025) , Punjab (2025) , and Kishtwar in Jammu & Kashmir (2025) show that floods are no longer confined to low-lying river plains. They affect hilly regions, coastal belts, and rapidly expanding cities alike. To address this growing crisis, we need to understand the s...