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New Delhi: Every year during the monsoon season, major Indian cities, including Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Gurgaon experience flooding and severe rainfall. Road waterlogging, traffic bottlenecks, house and business damage, and disruptions to daily life have all become commonplace. Rainfall patterns have become more unpredictable due to climate change, which has made these issues worse.

Mumbai: Floods are a constant danger

Every monsoon season, Mumbai, the financial center of India, experiences intense rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that Mumbai gets 2,213-2,502 mm of rain on average every year, with the biggest amounts falling in July and August (919.9 mm and 768.5 mm, respectively). Mumbai had 944 mm of rain in a single day on July 26, 2005, which brought the city to a complete halt and resulted in several fatalities as well as significant property damage.

Heavy rainfall in Mumbai even in 2025 resulted in waterlogging and traffic congestion in several locations. Rainfall over 50 mm per hour is now too much for the outdated drainage system, which was constructed in the British period to manage 25 mm of rain per hour. Furthermore, the issue was made worse by unplanned urbanization and the absence of natural drainage in coastal regions.

Delhi: chaos caused by the Yamuna

During Delhi’s monsoon, the Yamuna river overflows, resulting in severe floods. The Yamuna’s increasing flood level in 2023 caused widespread evacuations and infrastructural damage. Delhi typically gets 747 mm of rain every year; however, rainfall has become increasingly erratic owing to climate change-related Western Disturbances. In 2025, Delhi-NCR’s roadways become ponds due to July’s intense rainfall. Numerous flights were impacted.

The drainage infrastructure in Delhi is likewise antiquated. Natural drainage was disturbed by unforeseen building. The waterlogging issue is made worse by the frequent clogging of water bodies, such as the Najafgarh drain, with trash.

Gurugram: Traffic congestion and waterlogging

Every monsoon, waterlogging plagues Haryana’s economic center, Gurugram. Massive waterlogging and traffic delays on Sohna Road, Hero Honda Chowk, and the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway were caused by heavy rains in July and August of 2025. Social media was used by locals to voice their complaints about water seeping into their houses. The drainage system was a total failure.

In response, the Gurugram Municipal Corporation said that while crews were working, the drainage system was operating at maximum capacity because of the intense rains. Rainwater collects on roadways in Gurugram as a result of natural drainage being ruined by the city’s concrete surfaces and quickly expanding structures.

Chennai: Devastating winter rains

The northeast monsoon, which occurs from October to December, is more common in Chennai than the June to September monsoon. Rainfall has increased in recent years; however, it still averages 1,276 mm. Chennai was devastated by Cyclone Maichong in 2023, and the city’s 3,000-kilometer stormwater drainage system failed as a result of inadequate and unfinished repair. Flooding is now more likely because unplanned urbanization has devastated wetlands and natural water bodies.

Evaluation of damage

• Economic losses: Each year, floods in these cities result in losses of billions of rupees.
• Mumbai’s floods in 2005 cost the city Rs 14,000 crore. Chennai’s floods in 2015 cost the city Rs 20,000 crore. Every year, damage to Delhi and Gurugram’s roads, cars, and property totals billions.
• Human losses: In 2023, over 1,400 people died in India as a result of monsoon-related calamities. Homes, livelihoods, and infrastructure are severely damaged by floods and landslides.
• Impact on infrastructure: Airports, railroads, and roads often come to a halt. Life is disrupted by the continued closure of hospitals, workplaces, and schools.
• Crop destruction by floods affects agriculture and livelihoods. Street sellers and other small enterprises lose a lot of money.

Future hazards and climate change

Rainfall patterns have changed due to climate change. Extreme rainfall events have become more frequent in recent decades, according to research from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. Since 1994, Mumbai has seen an increase in the frequency of severe rainfall (>120 mm/day) and very high rainfall (>250 mm/day). The intensity of the yearly rainfall is rising at a rate of 22 mm annually.

Potential hazards

• Unpredictable rainfall: As a result of climate change, the amount and timing of rainfall are becoming unpredictable. Rainfall may drop by up to 15% in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh and rise by 20–50% in arid areas like Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• Flooding that is more severe:Urban flood peaks surge 1.8 to 8 times more quickly than usual. Up to six times as much water may be present.
• Loss of natural water bodies: Lakes and wetlands, which act as natural flood barriers, have been destroyed by unplanned urbanization. Both the Kosasthalai River in Chennai and the Mithi River in Mumbai are impacted by encroachment and trash.
• Economic and social effects: Cities’ economies and populations will be strained by rising floods. According to experts, the harm would worsen if adaptation is not made.

Future plans and solutions

• Modern drainage systems: To emulate natural water management, cities should use Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS). Chennai’s and Mumbai’s drainage systems need to be improved to manage more than 50 mm of rain per hour.
• Restoration of natural water bodies: It’s critical to restore rivers, lakes, and wetlands. They serve as organic barriers against flooding.
• Flood mapping: Similar to Australia, India should create flood maps that show regions at danger every ten and one hundred years.
• Climate adaptation: Cities need to be ready for the changing climate. In this regard, initiatives such as the Mumbai Climate Action Plan have already been initiated.
• Improved urban planning: It’s critical to reduce concrete surfaces and avoid unforeseen building. Parks and green spaces need to be encouraged.
• Early warning systems: As was done for Mumbai and Gurugram in 2025, IMD could create more precise and prompt warning systems.