‘Tamil Nadu rain’s link to global warming not established’

Environment minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday informed Parliament that the extreme rainfall that occurred in Tamil Nadu was “highly localised” and part of the natural variability of the Indian monsoon system and its attribution to global warming is “not established”. Many districts of Tamil Nadu were affected by extreme rainfall recently, leading to massive flooding.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, the minister informed that although some studies have reported an increase in frequency and intensity of extremes in rainfall during the past 40-50 years, their attribution to global warming is not established. Mr Javadekar also informed that the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change and assessment methodology used in India have indicated that extreme rainfall events are likely to be more frequent in the later part of the 21st century.

“As regards (to) other extreme weather phenomenon, there are many other reasons for their occurrence which may not be related to climate change,” the minister said.

He said that the northeast monsoon season during October-December is the chief rainy season for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and during November, three large-scale weather systems affected both the places causing extensive rainfall activity over the region.