Urban Floods- Factors Responsible, Impacts, Measures

Urban floods are an immersion of land in a built setting, especially in thickly populated regions. It happens when precipitation or allied situations overwhelm the capacity of sewerage systems. Urban floods are a significant issue in many regions of the world and are natural disasters that happen each year. The rise in ocean levels brought about by an Earth-wide temperature boost is just speeding up the issue further. Even though it is a generally expected thought that urban residences near floodplains are probably going to be impacted, different components are in play also.

Some of these determinants are as follows

1. Melting of snow
2. Flash-floods
3. Overflow from drainage
4. Water discharged from damaged drain systems

In urban regions, flood impacts can be intensified by existing cleared roads and streets, which speed up streaming water. Impenetrable surfaces keep precipitation from invading into the ground, in this manner causing a higher surface run-off that might be more than local sewerage capacity.

Urban floods are a significant issue as urban regions play host to crucial economic infrastructures that should be secured consistently. Any harm or loss of these important economic infrastructures will prompt economic losses to an unimaginable extent. Likewise, it will prompt loss of life and property and an enormous amount of assets will be lost when they are used to moving individuals to safe regions.

Urban Floods In India

Urban floods have been increasing in India, seriously influencing significant urban communities. Probably the main occasions of urban floods include Kolkata in 2007, Mumbai Floods of 2005, Delhi in 2009, Hyderabad surges of 2020, and Bangalore in 2015. 

Flooding in India appears at its top during the rainstorm seasons. There are times when tempest floods in beachfront urban areas can cause flooding too. Different causes incorporate the inability to let water out of dams can likewise have a serious effect. Furthermore, the urban heat island impact has brought about an increment in precipitation over urban regions. Worldwide environmental change is bringing about changing climate patterns and expanded scenes of high-intensity rainfall cases happening in shorter periods. Then, at that point, the danger of ocean level rise is additionally posing a potential threat, threatening all the seaside cities. 

Factors Responsible For Urban Floods In India

Urban floods in India is a consequence of multiple factors some of are:

• Chaotic and irregular planning of cities complicated by problems of illegal encroachments which exclude natural watercourses required to drain excess water.
• Stormwater seepage frameworks whose limits are overpowered when precipitation of high intensity happens.

Thus, the ability of the natural drains has been reduced, resulting in flooding. Inappropriate disposal of solid waste, including commercial, domestic and industrial waste, and dumping of production debris into the drains also adds significantly to defeating their abilities. It is important to take more reliable processes and preservation actions.

The issue will only moreover increase as a speedy surge in population directs to urbanization on a practically modern scale. Demand for living space is being met by encroaching on floodplains without any regard for proper urban planning. As the years pass by, the issue of Urban floods simply will undoubtedly increase.

Impacts of Urban Floods

1. On Transport And Communication:

• Disruption in communication- impact on the telephone lines, internet cables
• Increased traffic congestion, disruption in rail services

2. On The Environment:

• Impact on animals in the zoo, the prevalence of stray animals
• Loss of tree cover, loss of habitat

3. On Economy:

• Post-disaster rescue and rehabilitation add to the financial burden of the government
• Impact on heritage or archaeological site
• Disruptions to utility supplies
• Disruptions to industrial production
• Damage to buildings, roads, and other infrastructures

4. On Human Life:

• A rise in mosquito-borne diseases
• Contamination of water supplies leading to diseases
• Increased stress; psychological trauma
• Loss of life & physical injury

Measures To Prevent Urban Floods

Role Of Science And Technology

Science and technology can play a significant role in improved monitoring, modeling/ forecasting, and decision-support systems. One way for growing the preparation for urban floods is by establishing up a vulnerability-based geospatial framework to form and analyze various scenarios. It helps in recognizing and planning for the numerous effective/ appropriate actions in a dynamic way to organize day-to-day developments that take place in urban areas, having the potential to adjust the prevailing vulnerability profile. 

Rainwater Harvesting

Many municipal corporations in India have already made rainwater harvesting compulsory. It will serve the twin purposes of lowering the peak runoff and raising the groundwater table. Due to urbanization, groundwater recharge has reduced and the peak flow from rainfall and resulting flooding have risen. 

Conservation of Water Bodies

Urban water bodies like lakes and ponds also play a very significant role in the control of urban floods by decreasing the stormwater run-off by catching it

Design And Management Of Urban Drainage System

Watershed management and emergency drainage systems should be expressed in policy and law. Vulnerability analyses and risk assessments should form part and parcel of city master plans. Proper management of the drainage system is necessary to ensure that the water does not get stored in one place. Solid waste increases hydraulic roughness, causes a blockage, and generally reduces flow capacity. These drains need to be cleaned regularly to permit the free flow of water. 

Early Warning Systems And Communication

Tools such as predictive precipitation modeling can help do that and are also able to link it with the adaptive capacity of urban land use. Dissemination of flood warnings must be carried out, using a wide range of latest technologies. This would help in giving real-time data where traditional systems fail. 

Need For Climate Resilient Infrastructure

As per UN projections, by 2050 beyond what 68% of the total populace could be accumulated in urban regions. Furthermore, day-to-day existence in urban regions is exceptionally reliant upon specific basic administrations and items given by basic foundations (CIs). Subsequently, it is particularly applicable to see what Climate Change affects urban CIs to foster instruments to work on their ability to deal with emergencies got from CC.

Conclusion

This article provides you with all about Urban floods which is a crucial topic for UPSC Exam. Prepare for your exam thoroughly and hope this article helps you.

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