At least 11 districts, including Patna, Alappuzha and Kendrapara, are at “very high” risk of both floods and drought, requiring immediate intervention, according to a climate risk assessment report compiled by two IITs.
The report was released by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati and Mandi in collaboration with the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), Bengaluru.
According to the report titled “District-Level Climate Risk Assessment for India: Flood and Drought Risk Mapping Using the IPCC Framework”, 51 districts in India face “very high” flood risk, with 118 more classified as “high” risk.
Vulnerable regions include Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir.
The report flagged that 91 districts were identified as being at “very high” drought risk and 188 districts were at “high” drought risk mainly in Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra.
Alarmingly, 11 districts including Patna (Bihar), Alappuzha (Kerala) and Kendrapara (Odisha) are at “very high” risk of both floods and drought, requiring immediate intervention, the report said.
“India’s agrarian society is deeply dependent on the monsoon, which is exacerbating challenges such as drought and excessive rainfall due to climate change. This report, a collaboration between DST, SDC, provides a comprehensive risk assessment for over 600 districts, providing invaluable insights for effective mitigation strategies,” said IIT-Guwahati Director Devendra Jalihal.
The study was integrated climate risk, Exposure and vulnerability paves the way for data-driven adaptive planning to provide a comprehensive view of district-level risks to support disaster risk reduction and highlight direct impacts on people and livelihoods.
“Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, affecting agriculture, livelihoods and every aspect of life. No single organization can tackle it alone – it requires collective efforts and innovative frameworks. Through this report, We take important steps to identify vulnerabilities, assess vulnerabilities and address the challenges faced by vulnerable local communities,” said Anita Gupta, Scientist, Department of Science and Technology.
“These findings need to be translated into actions on the ground, and the insights must reach every stakeholder at both the national and state levels. This is just the beginning, as India moves forward with a balanced adaptation and mitigation strategy to achieve a clean, green and climate-resilient future. Together , we will fast-track our goals for a developed India and net zero India by 2047,” added Gupta.
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