India faces an increasingly complex landscape of disaster risks due to evolving threats and changing risk patterns. To protect its population and infrastructure, the country must adapt its disaster management strategies to meet these emerging challenges.

New Threats and Changing Risk Patterns

India's disaster management framework is challenged by several new threats and shifting risk patterns:

1.Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events

i.Increased Frequency and Intensity: Climate change is leading to more frequent and severe weather events, such as cyclones, floods, and heatwaves. For instance, the frequency of severe cyclones in the Arabian Sea has increased by 52% over the last two decades. The 2020 Super Cyclone Amphan affected more than 13 million people in West Bengal, highlighting the growing intensity of such events.

ii.Erratic Monsoon Patterns: The monsoon season has become increasingly unpredictable, with incidents of both excessive rainfall and prolonged droughts. In 2019, India received 10% above-normal rainfall, leading to devastating floods in Bihar and Assam, affecting over 8 million people.

2.Urbanization and Population Density

i.Vulnerability of Urban Areas: Rapid urbanization, particularly in coastal cities like Mumbai and Chennai, has increased the risk of flooding and infrastructure collapse. In 2015, Chennai experienced one of its worst floods in a century, largely attributed to rapid urban expansion and inadequate drainage systems.