© NASA/IMERG, GSFC
There were 1,000 "extreme rain events" in the first 12 days of August, according to data collated by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) from the India Meteorological Department. IMD describes "extremely heavy rain events" to be more than 20cm rain in a day and "very heavy rainfall events" to be more than 12cm rain in a day.
CSE head Sunita Narain red-flagged the rise in extreme weather events and how they are going to exacerbate land degradation in future at a media briefing on desertification.
Calling on the attention of leaders gathered at the 14th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) being hosted by India between September 2 and 12, Narain said, "We are seeing extremely heavy rain in very few number of days. There were 1,000 extremely heavy rain events in the first 12 days of August and data shows rain has been as extreme as up to 3,000% more rain in a day. There were droughts and floods in the same state this monsoon. We have documented unusually high spikes in rainfall for several states. Nature's revenge is on us."
She gave the example of Maharashtra and Kerala, which have experienced both floods and drought this monsoon. "Not climate change alone, our mismanagement of resources is exacerbating impacts. Let's not let leaders blame the extreme events on the inevitable," she said.
Comment: Watch SOTT's monthly Earth Changes weather roundup to understand the alarming and extreme weather events that are occurring worldwide these days.