Rapid flood impact assessment in Kuttanad region

Abstract

This is part of a Working Paper series that came out of studies and action done by CANALPY, an initiative of the collaboration between Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and the Kerala Institute of Local Administration. The major aim of CANALPY is the rejuvenation of canals through decentralised and participatory social and technological interventions. There have been two academic initiatives so far - a Winter School during November 2017 involving 36 students and a Summer School during May 2018 with 300+ students. Through a decentralised data collection process of the water and sanitation practices of Alappuzha, CANALPY was able to identify solid and liquid waste pollution in the sub-canals as the major impediment to the health of the canal system. The floods of 2018 were an unprecedented event in recent Kerala history, affecting nearly all regions of the state. Kuttanad, a biogeographic region to the south-east of Alappuzha was one of the hardest hit owing to several socioeconomic and geographic factors. The CANALPY team quickly sprung into action after the flood, deploying a student body to carry out a rapid flood impact assessment. This report contains the findings from that assessment. These are abridged versions of the larger reports. The academic reports may be downloaded freely from the CANALPY website, www.canalpy.com