Research Projects

India has faced a surge in urban flooding incidents in recent decades, with cities like Mumbai (2005), Chennai (2015), and Kochi (2018) witnessing significant socio-economic and infrastructural losses. Kochi, located at the confluence of the Arabian Sea and the Periyar River Basin, is highly vulnerable to compound flooding arising from the interplay of pluvial (rainfall), fluvial (river discharge), and coastal (tidal and surge) processes. The city’s low-lying terrain, rapid land-use changes, and drainage-estuary interactions further exacerbate the risks, especially under changing climate conditions. This project aims to develop an integrated compound flood modelling framework for Kochi using HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS 2D, and ADCIRC+SWAN models. It will support both real-time flood forecasting using IMD’s high-resolution ensemble rainfall predictions and long-term flood risk assessments using downscaled and bias-corrected climate projections relevant to the Indian Summer Monsoon, covering scenarios up to 2050. The framework will explicitly account for non-stationarity in rainfall and land use, producing updated Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves to guide climate-resilient stormwater and urban infrastructure design. A notable feature of the project is the development of a mobility-aware flood information system, in collaboration with NATPAC, which will provide real-time road inundation and accessibility maps to enhance emergency response and public safety. Flood inundation maps for various return periods and infrastructure stress tests will guide mitigation and planning. The framework is designed to be scalable and transferable, making it applicable to other flood-prone coastal cities across India. Aligned with national initiatives such as Smart Cities, AMRUT, and the National Disaster Management Plan, this project will significantly strengthen India’s capacity for risk-informed urban development and climate adaptation.