CEEW analysis reveals that cyclone intensity and the number of occurrences have increased manifold. The last 50 years also recorded a 12-fold surge in the number of associated cyclonic events such as extreme rainfall, floods, and thunderstorms in India. Further, more than 250 districts in India have been affected by such events over the past decade. While most of these have been on the eastern coast of India, the number of instances on the western coast are also increasing in recent years. According to a study by IITM, the frequency of cyclones has increased in the Arabian Sea by 52 per cent and their duration by 80 per cent since 1982. This changing trend of cyclonic activity has catastrophic impacts on the western coast of India. In the current case, the extremely severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy has already impacted the normal south-westerly flow of the monsoon towards the Indian mainland after the onset was delayed by 8 days. It is one of the longest-lasting cyclonic formations seen in India recently, which could have drastic effects. Our analysis highlights that the compounding effect of cyclones is more severe than that of any other climatic event due to the amount of loss and damage they cause. Even though India has significantly reduced the loss of life caused by cyclones, there is still an urgent need to prioritise climate-proofing critical infrastructure in vulnerable regions to prepare them for extreme events like Biparjoy.
