Assam, which has witnessed rainfall deficit of over 20% for the sixth time since 2010, is among the five states that are highly vulnerable to extreme Climate events such as floods, droughts and , according to a new study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
The study, “Mapping India’s Climate Vulnerability – A District-Level Assessment” done by Delhi-based think-tank CEEW, has faulted unsustainable landscape, lack of Infrastructure planning and human-induced microclimate change as the key drivers of this high vulnerability.
The northeastern zone, including Assam, Manipur, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, is only highly exposed to extreme flood events.Kamrup, Lakhimpur, Karbi Anglong, Hailakandi, Tinsukia and Dhemaji districts are also the flood hotspots in India.
A surge in extreme events has been observed across India after 2005. Our sensitivity analysis shows that this is primarily triggered by landscape disruptions. Various studies have confirmed the impact of landscape changes on the incidence of extreme events (UNEP 2009),” the study said.