File photo of floods in Daund taluka of Pune district.
The frequency of floods surged significantly in the last two decades, it was found. Between 1970 and 2004, three extreme flood events occurred per year on an average, but after 2005, the yearly average rose to 11. The annual average for districts affected until 2005 was 19, but after 2005, on average 55 districts were affected by floods each year.
In 2019, India witnessed 16 extreme flood events, which affected 151 districts. The study found that over 9.7 crore people are currently exposed to extreme floods in India.
Six of India’s eight most flood-prone districts in the last decade Barpeta, Darrang, Dhemaji, Goalpara, Golaghat, Sivasagar are in Assam.