Urban flooding: Why every Metro is vulnerable to disasters

It wasn’t just nature that was unkind to Chennai, human neglect also sank the city. But there are lessons to be learnt so that nature’s fury doesn’t turn disastrous.

India has always remained vulnerable to floods. But increasingly, the country is witnessing the phenomenon of urban flooding — sudden downpours inundating heavily populated districts within a matter of hours. And this is happening with increasing frequency.

Unplanned urbanisation, overstretched storm water drainage systems, encroachment over drainage channels, illegal occupation of low-lying areas and vanishing water bodies are all to blame.

The situation turns particularly dire during Monsoon and storm surges in coastal areas. Here’s a look...