Face of Disasters 2019 Report

Face of Disasters 2019 Report

According to the report, ‘The Face of Disasters 2019’, released by the Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environment and Development (SEEDS), the “average” rainfall figures hide extremes of floods and droughts across the country.

Report Summary:

Key Findings: While the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted a “normal” monsoon this year, the “average” rainfall figures hide extremes of floods and droughts across the country. 

Example: During the June to September monsoon of 2018, Punjab experienced a “normal” monsoon. However, that figure masked the fact that Ropar saw 71% excess rainfall while Ferozepur experienced a 74% shortage. 
Other disasters are hidden because of slow-onset or they may be affecting ignored populations or occurring at the same time as more high profile disasters. 

Similarly, eastern Uttar Pradesh saw a minimal shortage of 16% lower than usual. However, Kushi Nagar received 82% less while Kannauj actually had a surplus of 62%.

The report also outlines the following eight key areas:

• Water and the changing nature of disaster risk: A ‘new normal’ of rainfall variability is bringing challenges of too much and too little water, often in parallel.
• No disaster is ‘natural’: Risks lurking under the radar slip through the cracks because they don’t meet the idea of a ‘natural disaster’.
• The silent events: The disasters that go unseen leave those affected at even greater risk.
• Land becomes water (and water becomes land): Changes to the coastline are already affecting livelihood sources and will be hotspots for vulnerability in the future.
• The complexity of disaster impact: Beyond official ‘damages’, the long-term and uncaptured disaster impacts have life-changing consequences for affected communities.