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Droughts and Floods in India: Causes and Management
July 19, 20266 min read
TOPIC CLASSIFICATION
Subject: Physical Geography & Disaster Management Sub-area: Hydro-Meteorological Disasters - Droughts & Floods Difficulty: Medium Weightage: High (2 Prelims + Mains on disaster management)
EXAMINER REASONING
- Trap: Thinking droughts and floods are purely natural phenomena - human factors (deforestation, drainage congestion, groundwater extraction) significantly worsen both.
- Most confused: Meteorological drought (deficient rainfall) vs Hydrological drought (depleted water bodies) vs Agricultural drought (crop damage).
- Key anchor: Indian monsoon - erratic rainfall distribution (temporal and spatial) is the core cause of both droughts and floods.
- Current affairs hook: Kerala floods (2018, 2024); Bihar floods (annual); Chennai water crisis (2019); Marathwada droughts; Himachal floods 2023; Glacier burst Uttarakhand 2021.
- Mains hinge: "India experiences drought and flood in the same year, often in adjoining districts. Critically examine the causes and suggest an integrated management approach."
Core Concept
Droughts
| Type | Definition | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Meteorological | Deficiency in rainfall compared to normal | % departure from normal; consecutive dry weeks |
| Hydrological | Depletion of surface/groundwater resources | Reservoir levels, groundwater table decline |
| Agricultural | Soil moisture insufficient for crops | Crop yield decline, NDVI indices |
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