3rd June 2025 (13 Topics)
Northeast Monsoon Crisis
Context
The onset of the southwest monsoon has triggered widespread floods and landslides across several north-eastern States, affecting lakhs of people and causing significant casualties. Despite expectations of below-normal rainfall, the region’s high baseline precipitation levels continue to fuel extreme weather events. This highlights the urgent need for disaster-resilient infrastructure and coordinated policy planning.
Monsoon Devastation in Northeast India: A Recurring Crisis
Meteorological Pattern and Regional Rainfall Characteristics
- Bimodal Monsoon Arrival: The southwest monsoon enters the Northeast through the Bay of Bengal branch, often simultaneously with or shortly after the Arabian Sea branch reaches Kerala, bringing intense rains to the region.
- High Rainfall Base: Even in below-normal monsoon years, the Northeast receives significantly higher rainfall compared to other regions, sustaining a high risk of floods and landslides.
- Dual Rainfall Seasons: The region experiences a second, smaller monsoon from October to December, necessitating year-round disaster management strategies.
Humanitarian and Infrastructure Impact
- Widespread Flooding: Multiple rivers in Assam flowed above danger levels, affecting lakhs of people and severely disrupting daily life across numerous districts.
- Fatal Natural Hazards: Floods, flash floods, landslides, and lightning have caused multiple fatalities and injuries, severely straining emergency response systems.
- Transport and Tourism Disruption: Landslides blocked arterial roads in hilly regions, stranding large numbers of tourists and highlighting gaps in climate-resilient transport planning.
Policy Gaps and Structural Weaknesses
- Lagging Infrastructure Development: The region continues to suffer from underdeveloped infrastructure, due to both difficult terrain and inadequate investment over time.
- Year-Round Climate Exposure: The Northeast’s susceptibility to multiple rainfall seasons requires a comprehensive, long-term mitigation and adaptation strategy.
- Need for Institutional Coordination: A sustainable and region-specific disaster risk reduction framework must be devised jointly by State governments and the Centre to reduce annual loss of lives and property.
Practice Question:
Q. "Despite its ecological richness, the North-eastern region of India faces recurrent monsoon-related disasters. Examine the underlying causes and suggest a holistic approach to strengthen climate-resilient infrastructure and disaster governance in the region."
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