Lok Sabha Question No. 3039 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-16
Subject: Floods in Karnataka
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Prajwal Revanna

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3039

ANSWERED ON 16.12.2021

## FLOODS IN KARNATAKA

## 3039.          SHRI PRAJWAL REVANNA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware of recent heavy rainfall in the State of Karnataka which caused havoc and floods in most of the parts of the State if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government assessed the loss of property, lives and crops due to recent heavy rainfall, if so, the details thereof along with the physical, financial and technical support extended by the Centre to the State of Karnataka in this regard;

(c) the reasons for such unprecedented rainfall in the recent past; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government for timely predicton and forecasting of meteorological changes in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a) Floods are natural calamity that the country faces almost every year, in varying degrees of magnitude. The occurrence of floods can be attributed to various factors, including wide variations in rainfall both in time and space with frequent departures from the normal pattern, inadequate carrying capacities of rivers, river bank erosion and silting of river beds, landslides, poor natural drainage in flood prone areas, snowmelt and glacial lake out-bursts. Central Water Commission (CWC) is the nodal Organisation entrusted with the task of flood forecasting & early flood warnings in the country. As per flood forecasting network of CWC, during  the  last  3  years,  above  normal  to  extreme  floods  were  witnessed  in  the  state  of  Karnataka  in  the basins of Krishna, Cauvery and their tributaries, and West flowing rivers from Tapi to Tadri due to excess to large  excess  rainfall  combined  with  extremely  heavy  rainfall  in  short  duration.  The  summary  of  flood situation in Karnataka as per flood forecasting and monitoring network of CWC from 2019 to 2021 is given in Annexure-I.

(b) The  primary  responsibility  for  disaster  management  rests  with  the  State  Government.  The  concerned State  Government  undertakes  relief  measures  in  the  wake  of  natural  disasters  from  the  State  Disaster Response  Fund  (SDRF) already placed at their disposal in accordance with Government of India's approved

items and norms. Additional assistance is provided from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) as per established procedure in case the disaster is of severe nature. Upon receipt of the request from the State Government  of  Karnataka  for  additional  financial  assistance  from  National  Disaster  Response  Fund (NDRF), an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) was constituted by this Ministry of Home Affairs and visited the State an on-the-spot assessment of damages caused by the floods/landslides of 2021. Financial assistance is considered by High Level Committee as per laid down procedure. As per IMCT's report, 20 human lives, 419 livestock were lost and 10018 Nos. of houses/huts and 217897 ha. cropped (Agriculture +Horticulture) area have been lost/damaged in wake of flood/landslides-2021. In the meantime, Government of  Karnataka  has  also  sent  a  communication  along  with  memorandum  for  financial  assistance  for  flood during October-November-2021. Government has decided to depute the same team for visit to the affected areas  of  Karnataka.  Further,  the  State  Government  of  Karnataka  has  been  allocated  Rs.843.20  crore (Rs.632.80 crore as Central Share + Rs.210.40 crore as state share) under the SDRF for 2021-22. The central share of SDRF has been released, in advance to the State of Karnataka.

(c) & (d)   Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that heavy rainfall activity had been one of  the  reason  for  flood  in  Karnataka  and  it  had  been  due  to  weather  systems  like  low  pressure  systems, cyclonic  circulations  etc.  affecting  the  State  in  addition  to  strong  monsoon  condition  in  association  with strong southwesterly winds over the east central Arabian Sea sometimes occurring during monsoon season (June-September). All these intense rainfall activities had been predicted well in advance to support disaster management  work &  mitigation measures. India Meteorological Department (IMD)  is effectively functioning in the country maintaining accurate weather forecasting services along with monitoring services for  early  detection  of  natural  disasters. During the past few years, IMD has been continuously improving weather prediction services in terms of accuracy, lead time and associated impact.

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## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO.3039 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2021 REGARDING 'FLOODS IN KARNATAKA'.

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## Summary of Flood situation in Karnataka from 2019 to 2021

| Year           | No. of flood forecasting station flowed in   | No. of flood forecasting station flowed in   | No. of flood forecasting station flowed in                                                             | Reservoirs having Inflows Above threshold value   |
|----------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| Year           | Extreme Flood                                | Severe Flood                                 | No. of Monitoring Stations other than Flood forecasting Stations which flowed in the EXTREME situation | Reservoirs having Inflows Above threshold value   |
| 2019           | -                                            | 1                                            | 13                                                                                                     | 13                                                |
| 2020           | 1                                            | -                                            | 5                                                                                                      | 13                                                |
| 2021(Till Nov) | -                                            | -                                            | 3                                                                                                      | 13                                                |

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