Tamil Nadu emerging as a major drought-prone region in India

A study published in the ‘International Journal of Climatology’ warns that Tamil Nadu is at risk of becoming one of India’s primary drought-prone regions. The research, which utilized the ‘Revised Indian Climate Extremes Index (CEI)’, analyzed rainfall and temperature data from 1971 to 2022.

Scientists from the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, the India Meteorological Department, and the University of Adria found that the area affected by long-term drought in Peninsular India has increased significantly since 2000. In certain years, more than 40 percent of the region was impacted by drought.

Lead researchers noted that the most severe signs of drought in the country are appearing in South India, with the eastern coastal region, including Tamil Nadu, being among the most critically affected. The study highlights that droughts in South India have been more severe than most natural disasters experienced in the region over the last 50 years.