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Lucknow is a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Gomti River, a tributary of the Ganges River. The city has a history of being affected by floods caused by heavy rainfall, river overflow, and breaches in the embankments.
In 1923, Lucknow experienced a disastrous flood with an estimated discharge of 75,000 cusecs, severely affecting many low-lying areas. This was one of the earliest recorded floods in the city's history. It was caused by heavy rainfall during the monsoon season, which led the Gomti River to overflow its banks and inundate many parts of the city. The flood impacted the old city, civil lines, and cantonment areas, damaging property, crops, and infrastructure, and forcing many people to seek shelter in higher places. It also disrupted communication and transportation systems and posed a threat to public health and safety. [1]
The 1960 Lucknow flood was caused by the overflow of the Gomti River following heavy rainfall in the Himalayan region. After the 1923 flood, the Buttergani area was protected by the construction of a marginal embankment. However, in 1960, this area was severely affected as water breached two points in the embankment, allowing approximately 30,000 to 40,000 cusecs of water into the low-lying areas. The flood submerged almost half of the city under several feet of water, marking one of the worst floods in Lucknow's history.
The flood impacted various parts of the city, including the old city, civil lines, cantonment, and main shopping center. It also damaged the electricity supply, zoological gardens, and many historical monuments. Elephants, bicycle rickshaws, and boats were used as transportation in the flooded areas. The government deployed army units and helicopters to rescue stranded people and provide relief materials. The water level receded very slowly, and no estimate was made of the total damage. The flood coincided with a tidal wave that struck the mouth of the Ganges in Bangladesh on October 16, 1960, killing more than 3,000 people. [2]
The 1971 Lucknow flood was caused by two breaches in the embankment of the Gomti River. These breaches occurred because the river's water level was six feet (about two meters) above the danger mark due to heavy monsoon rainfall. The flood submerged many parts of the city under three to four feet (one to 1.2 meters) of water, affecting the main shopping area, some residential neighborhoods, and the zoological gardens. It also disrupted electricity supply, communication and transportation systems, and posed risks to public health and safety.
On September 7, at least 13 deaths due to drowning were reported in Uttar Pradesh, bringing the total death toll from two months of rain and flooding in the state to 268. In Lucknow itself, a quarter of the city's area was underwater by September 8. The government deployed the army and civilian engineers to repair the breaches in the embankment and rescue stranded people. More than 25,000 people were evacuated from the city within 24 hours and housed in 18 camps set up by the state government. Elephants, boats, and helicopters were used for transportation and relief in the flooded areas. The flood also affected animals in the Lucknow Zoo, some of which had to be placed on raised platforms or protected by sandbags and boulders. The 1971 flood was the second highest on record in Lucknow, with a discharge of 107,000 cusecs. [3]
The 2008 Lucknow flood was a natural disaster that occurred in August 2008, caused by the overflow of the Gomti River after heavy monsoon rainfall. The flood submerged several parts of the city, affecting more than 100,000 people and killing at least 15. It also damaged property, crops, and infrastructure. The state government declared Lucknow one of the 11 districts affected by the floods and deployed army units and helicopters to rescue and provide relief to the affected people.
The rainfall raised the water level of the Gomti River above the danger mark of 8.5 meters (28 feet) in Lucknow. The river also received water from its tributaries, such as Sai, Kathana, and Kukrail. The flood situation was exacerbated by the city's inadequate drainage system, which could not handle the runoff from urban areas. Encroachment on floodplains and wetlands by illegal constructions further reduced the river's natural capacity to absorb excess water.
The flood primarily affected low-lying areas along the Gomti River, with the worst-hit areas including Daliganj, Nishatganj, Aminabad, Chowk, Thakurganj, Alambagh, Rajajipuram, and Indira Nagar. Floodwaters entered many houses, shops, offices, schools, hospitals, and religious places, forcing people to evacuate or seek shelter on rooftops or higher ground. The flood also disrupted power and water supplies, communication, and transportation systems, with many roads and bridges damaged or submerged, making them impassable. Additionally, the flood posed a threat to public health and safety due to waterborne diseases and electrocution risks.
Mariyam, who experienced the devastating flood of 2008 in her native city of Lucknow, described the impact on her neighbors, who had to cope with the loss of their homes and belongings, the disruption of essential services, and the risk of diseases and injuries. [4] [5]
In 2021, a flood struck Lucknow and its surrounding districts, which raised the water levels of the Gomti River and its tributaries. Many areas of the city were inundated, including roads, bridges, railway tracks, and residential colonies. The flood also disrupted power and water supplies, as well as health services. Authorities deployed boats, helicopters, and drones to evacuate people and provide relief materials. [6]
The Gomti, Gumti or Gomati River is a tributary of the Ganges. According to Hindu belief, the river is the daughter of Rishi Vashishtha and bathing in the Gomti on Ekadashi can wash away sins. According to the Bhagavata Purana, one of Hinduism's major religious works, Gomti is one of the five transcendental rivers of India. The rare Gomti Chakra is found there.
Shahdadkot is the most populated and largest Tehsil of Qambar Shahdadkot District of Sindh, Pakistan. It was named after the town founder Shahdad Khan Khuhawar. It is located around 51 kilometres northwest of Larkana and 34 kilometers north of Qambar. The town is in close proximity to three districts of Balochistan namely Khuzdar, Jhal Magsi and Jaffarabad in the west and north of the district. It is linked on the M8 motorway route between Gwadar and Ratodero.
The 2008 Indian floods were a series of floods in various states of India during the 2008 monsoon season. The floods mostly affected the western regions of Maharashtra state and Andhra Pradesh as well as northern Bihar. In India, the monsoon season generally lasts from June to September.
The 2008 Bihar flood was one of the most disastrous floods in the history of Bihar, an impoverished and densely populated state in India. The Koshi embankment near the Indo-Nepal border broke on 18 August 2008. The river changed course and flooded areas which had not been flooded in many decades. The flood affected over 2.3 million people in the northern part of Bihar.
The 2012 Luzon southwest monsoon floods, was an eight-day period of torrential rain and thunderstorms in Luzon in the Philippines from August 1 to August 8, 2012. Its effects centered on Metro Manila, the surrounding provinces of the Calabarzon region and the provinces of Central Luzon. Not a typhoon in its own right, the storm was a strong movement of the southwest monsoon caused by the pull of Typhoon Saola (Gener) from August 1–3, strengthened by Typhoon Haikui. It caused typhoon-like damage: the most damage caused by rain since September 2009, when Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) struck Metro Manila. The heavy rain caused the Marikina River to overflow, destroying areas also affected by Ketsana, triggering a landslide in the Commonwealth area and collapsing the northbound Marcos Highway.
In September 2014, the Kashmir region suffered disastrous floods across many of its districts caused by torrential rainfall. The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the Pakistani territories of Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and the province of Punjab were affected by these floods. By 24 September 2014, nearly 277 people in India and about 280 people in Pakistan had died due to the floods.
This is a list of notable recorded floods that have occurred in India. Floods are the most common natural disaster in India. The heaviest southwest, the Brahmaputra, and other rivers to distend their banks, often flooding surrounding areas.
Following heavy rain, Gujarat state of India was affected by the flood in July 2015. The flood resulted in at least 72 deaths.
Following heavy rain in July 2017, the Indian state of Gujarat was affected by severe flooding. The floods were reported to have caused total 224 deaths between 1 June and 31 July 2017. 16 people had died in neighbouring Rajasthan state by 31 July.
Following heavy rain in July and August 2017, the Indian state of West Bengal was affected by severe flooding. The floods were reported to have caused 50 deaths since 1 August and 8 deaths in the neighbouring state of Jharkhand.
The 2019 Bihar floods affected 13 districts of North Bihar, India, causing 130 deaths by the end of July. 1269 panchayats under 92 blocks of 13 districts of Northern Bihar were severely affected in the flood. Around 88.46 lakhs people were affected.
The 2019 Indian floods were a series of floods that affected over thirteen states in late July and early August 2019, due to excessive rains. At least 200 people died and about a million people were displaced. Karnataka and Maharashtra were the most severely affected states. People died but many were rescued with the help of the Indian Navy.
Typhoon Gilda, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Deling was a destructive, deadly, costly and long-lived tropical cyclone that left over 145 confirmed deaths over Japan and South Korea, mostly due to torrential rainfall that induced landslides, all generated by the typhoon and its associated meiyu front. The eighth named storm and third typhoon of the 1974 Pacific typhoon season, the system was first noted by the China Meteorological Agency as an area of convection embedded on a trough, to the north of Enewetak Atoll on June 25. It was named Gilda on June 30 as it strengthened to a tropical storm. Under a favorable environment, it strengthened to a typhoon two days later as it moved northwestward. Another trough pulled Gilda poleward while changing less in intensity, until it intensified to a Category 2 typhoon as it battered the Ryukyu Islands at its peak. Increasing wind shear gradually weakened the system; however, it remained as a minimal typhoon until it passed through the southern tip of South Korea on July 6, where it weakened to a tropical storm. Colder waters in the Sea of Japan and high shear further degraded Gilda, until it transitioned to an extratropical low as it made landfall near Hokkaido on July 9. The remnants of the system briefly intensified near the Kuril Islands before weakening and dissipating on July 17 over the Sea of Okhotsk.
Several floods struck China starting in June 2021, most of them caused by heavy rainfalls in different areas. According to the World Meteorological Organization, such heavy rains are frequently a result of climate change. The most notable floods were the 2021 Henan floods, which left 398 dead or missing.
Beginning in May 2022, deadly floods hit northeastern India and Bangladesh. Over 9 million people in both countries have been affected, and around 300 people have been killed.
The 2022 Odisha floods were a series of floods in Odisha, which lasted from 14 August 2022 to 7 September 2022.
Heavy rainfall during the 2023 monsoon season resulted in severe flooding and landslides across Northern India, primarily affecting residents in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.