Chapter 17 - Assessing the impact of 2018 tropical rainfall and the consecutive flood-related damages for the state of Kerala, India

Abstract

Flood is the relatively high flow in the river, markedly than the usual resulting in the inundation of low land. Usually, river floods when the river can no longer contain its discharge from its catchments. Flood is the costliest as well as a common natural disaster in the world devastating both life and economy to a greater extent. The state of Kerala has faced an unprecedented rainfall followed by severe floods in August 2018 with a death toll for 504. Kerala is the southernmost narrow strip of the coastal territory that slopes down the Western Ghats to reach the Arabian Sea with 14 districts in the state. According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the state received 2346.6mm of rain from June to 19th of August, which is 42% more than the average rainfall. The state received a tremendous rainfall of 758.6mm in the first 20days of August which is 164% more than the actual rainfall. With the heavy rainfall all over the state, floods prevailed by the end of July. Once again a massive spell of rainfall happened at 8th and 9th of August which led to further flooding in Wayanad district. Due to the continuous rainfall from the first week of June to August, water levels were almost near the Full Reservoir Level. So, the water was released from several dams due to the heavy rainfall in the catchment. Another intense spell of rainfall took place by the 14th of August and continued till 19th of August resulting in the massive flood throughout the state affecting 13 of the 14 districts leading to the evacuation of about 3.4 million people to the 12,300 relief camp across the state making the worst flood in the century. 2018 Kerala flood caused extensive damage to the crops, building, and infrastructure; its associated aftermath of the flood resulted in a huge loss to its economic, social, and natural environment, accompanied by the 331 landslides across 10 districts. After ravaging by the flood, the state has faced communicable diseases leptospirosis, chicken pox, hepatitis A, malaria, and dengue resulting in a death toll for 180. Thus, this paper is tried to understand the impact of the tropical rainfall followed by the devastating flood that occurred in the state of Kerala in August 2018 and to understand the impact on the socioeconomic disturbances, its resilience aftermath the flood.