In your opinion, what was the primary cause of the severity of the 2018 Kerala floods?

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1

In your opinion, what was the primary cause of the severity of the 2018 Kerala floods?

Unprecedented heavy rainfall

Opening of multiple dam shutters simultaneously

Poor urban planning and drainage systems

Deforestation and environmental changes

Poor communication between the dam authority and the weather forecast team

A combination of the above factors

None of these

The primary cause of the severity of the 2018 Kerala floods was a combination of factors, including:

• Extreme rainfall: Kerala experienced unprecedentedly heavy rainfall during the 2018 monsoon season. The rainfall was over 40% above the normal monsoon rainfall.
• Full reservoirs: Many of Kerala’s dams were full at the start of the 2018 monsoon season. This meant that there was less capacity to store excess rainwater, which led to increased flooding.
• Deforestation: Kerala has a high rate of deforestation, which has reduced the ability of the land to absorb rainwater. This also contributed to increased flooding.
• Poor drainage systems: Kerala has many poorly maintained drainage systems, which made it difficult for rainwater to drain away. This also contributed to flooding.

In addition to these primary factors, there were a number of other factors that contributed to the severity of the 2018 Kerala floods, such as:

• Climate change: Climate change is making extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall, more frequent and intense. This is likely to have played a role in the severity of the 2018 Kerala floods.
• Urbanization: Kerala is a rapidly urbanizing state. This has led to an increase in paved surfaces, which reduces the amount of land that can absorb rainwater. This also contributed to increased flooding.
• Poor land use planning: Kerala has a history of poor land use planning. This has led to the development of settlements in areas that are prone to flooding. This also contributed to the severity of the 2018 Kerala floods.

The 2018 Kerala floods were a devastating event that caused significant loss of life and property. It is important to learn from this event and take steps to prevent future floods. This includes investing in improved drainage systems, reforestation, and climate change adaptation measures. It is also important to improve land use planning and ensure that settlements are not developed in areas that are prone to flooding.

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