The recent flooding in Chennai, triggered by Cyclone Michaung, has once again brought to light the vulnerability of Indian cities to climate-induced disasters.

With over 40 cm of rainfall inundating the city within 48 hours by December 4, 2023, Chennai's plight is a stark reminder of urban India's escalating climate crisis.

Cyclone Michaung killed over a dozen people and left a trail of destruction in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The visuals were very shocking and heartbreaking, with vivid images that emerged of submerging residential buildings and cars being washed away in water currents on inundated roads.

Though the latest flooding and destruction were the result of a cyclone, it isn't the only reason for the scale of devastation.

Chennai is no stranger to flooding; the city was submerged in a historic flood in 2015 due to heavy rainfall from the northeast monsoon. This event was a wake-up call, highlighting the consequences of inadequate urban planning and poor institutional capacity.

The causes of such flooding are multifaceted. Heavy rainfall, inadequate drainage systems, and the incapacity of rivers to manage high discharge levels are primary contributors. Urbanisation plays a significant role, with encroachments on major water bodies and ecologically sensitive zones exacerbating the situation.

The flat terrain, in the case of Chennai, further complicated matters, as water failed to drain efficiently.

However, Chennai's struggles are part of a broader narrative of climate vulnerability across Indian cities.

Other coastal metro cities like, Kolkata and Mumbai also face significant risks from sea-level rise, tropical cyclones, and riverine flooding. These densely populated metros are already witnessing the impacts of climate change, with increased intensity of rainfall and flooding, as well as heightened drought risks.

A dozen Indian cities, including Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi and Visakhapatnam, could be nearly three feet underwater by the end of the century, IPCC report warned.

More than seven million coastal farming and fishing families are already feeling the effects. Coastal erosion, exacerbated by rising seas, is estimated to lead to the loss of about 1,500 square kilometres of land by 2050. This erosion eats away at valuable agricultural areas and threatens the very existence of coastal communities.