Lok Sabha Question No. 3851 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-03
Subject: Impact of Flash Floods
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: M. K. RAGHAVAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 3851

ANSWERED ON 03.01 .201 9

## IMPACT OF FLASH FLOO DS

## 3851. SHRI M.K. RAGHAVAN

Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether any study has been conducted on the after affects of flash flood in Kerala the details thereof and the reasons identified for this flood;

(b)  the  measures  being  taken  to  overcome  the  serious  damages  caused  to  the  environm balance of the State;

(c) the financial assistance extended so far and the details of the works started includ frame required to complete these wo rks; and

(d) the number of people affected due to the said flood and the details of compensation for the affected people so far?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a) & (b) After the recent floods of August, 2018, b ased on the memoranda submitted by the State  Government  of  Kerala,  Inter - Ministerial  Central  Team  (lMCT)  was  constituted  by Ministry of Home Affairs and deputed in two spells to assess the damages in the calamity affected areas.

The preliminary assessment conducted by the Irrigation Department, Government of Kerala reveals that the topography of the land adjacent to rivers which were overflowi the flood lost its topsoil and in some areas, the adjacent lands were totally washed away and river itself took a new course. As informed by State Government of Kerala, Haritha Kera Mission in association with Kerala State Remote Sensing Agency has initiated a study on morphologi cal changes of the river bed.

After the recent floods of August, 2018, a study on the hydrological processes of the flood has been carried out by Central Water Commission (CWC). As per the study, Keral experienced an abnormally high rainfall from 1 June, 2018 to 19 August, 2018. As per I data, Kerala received 2346.6 mm of rainfall from 1 June, 2018 to 19 August, 2018 in contrast to an expected1649.5 mm of rainfall. This rainfall was about 42% above the normal.

Further, the rainfall over Kerala during 1 st to 19 th of August was 164% above normal. Due to heavy rainfall, the first onset of flooding occurred towards the end of July. A severe spell of rainfall was experienced at several places on the 8 th and 9 th of August, 2018. Another severe spell of rainfall start ed from the 14 th of August and continued till the 19 th of August, resulting in disastrous flooding in 13 out of 14 districts.

(c) & (d) Ministry of Home Affairs has informed that in order to support the affected peo of the State Government of Kerala, Government of India has released both the instalments of Central Share of State Disaster Respon se Fund (SDRF) amounting to Rs. 192.60 cror e and Rs. 2904.85 crore from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to Government of Kerala for management of relief in respect of floods/ landslides of 2018, in addition to Air bills, actual basis, based on the bills received from Indian Air Force. An amount of Rs.340 cores is available in SDRF account for management of relief necessitated by natural dis durin g  2018 - 19  by  taking  into  account  the  opening  balance  and  releases  of  both  th installments of Central & State share of Rs.214.00 crore. As per assessment made by Cen Teams, 477 human lives were lost, 76,830 cattle lost and 6.54 lakh houses damaged and 0.94 lakh ha. cropped area have been reportedly affected due to floods/ landslides in Kerala the year 2018.

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