Kodagu district authorities have intensified monsoon preparedness measures despite forecasts of below-normal rainfall. Vulnerable areas have been identified, rescue teams deployed, and relief centres readied amid concerns that intense short-duration rainfall could trigger floods and landslides.
Although weather experts have forecast below-normal rainfall this year due to the El Niño effect, authorities in Kodagu are preparing for a different kind of threat. Officials fear that even if the overall rainfall remains low, intense downpours concentrated over a few days could trigger floods, landslides and widespread damage across the district. With memories of the devastating monsoon seasons between 2018 and 2020 still fresh, the district administration has stepped up preparedness measures ahead of the arrival of the Southwest Monsoon.
Fear Of Intense Rainfall Despite Lower Rainfall Forecast
Weather scientists have predicted that rainfall could be around 50 per cent below normal this year due to the El Niño phenomenon. However, officials are concerned that rainfall may become highly concentrated, with a large share of the season’s precipitation occurring within a short period.
In Kodagu, the monsoon typically brings steady rainfall over four to five months. While moderate and continuous rainfall rarely causes major problems, a few days of extremely heavy rain can quickly lead to floods, landslides and infrastructure damage.
This pattern was witnessed in the district between 2018 and 2020, when intense rainfall triggered widespread destruction. Since then, every monsoon season has been approached with caution.
Administration Identifies Vulnerable Areas
To minimise the risk to residents, the district administration has initiated several precautionary measures.
Officials from the Department of Mines and Geology have mapped landslide-prone locations and identified areas vulnerable to flooding in the event of sudden heavy rainfall.
As a precaution, plans are in place to relocate women, children and elderly residents from high-risk areas if weather conditions deteriorate. Relief centres are also being established near locations considered vulnerable to landslides and floods.
Special Rescue Teams Prepared For Emergencies
The police department has formed four special rescue teams, each comprising nine personnel, to respond to flood and landslide emergencies during the monsoon season.
The teams have undergone specialised training in disaster response and rescue operations. A mock rescue exercise was recently conducted in the Harangi backwaters to prepare personnel for emergency situations involving rising floodwaters.
Measures Taken To Prevent Power Disruptions
Authorities are also preparing for possible damage to power infrastructure caused by strong winds and heavy rainfall.
The Karnataka Electricity Board (KEB) has stocked additional electric poles and transformers to ensure that essential services can be restored quickly in the event of weather-related disruptions.
Climate Change Adds To Concerns
Officials believe that changing weather patterns linked to climate change could increase the risk of short-duration, high-intensity rainfall events.
There are concerns that rainfall which would normally be spread across four months could instead be concentrated within a month, a fortnight or even a few days. Such an occurrence could significantly increase the risk of floods and landslides despite overall seasonal rainfall remaining below normal.
With the Southwest Monsoon expected to reach Kodagu in the coming days, authorities are taking no chances and are preparing for the worst-case scenario to minimise the impact of any extreme weather event.