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Opportunities to address the emergent disaster risk landscape in urban India

Indian cities are exposed to a new pattern of climate-related disaster risks. Floods in Srinagar in September 2014, triggered by extreme rainfall, were the deadliest to hit the valley in the last 60 years. The port city of Visakhapatnam, ground zero of Cyclone Hudhud in October 2014, was the first city in the India Meteorological Department’s history to be hit by a cyclone. Such hydro-meteorological hazards are likely to become more frequent and severe because of climate change impacts. This emergent disaster risk landscape in India poses a threat to urban development investments and gains. However, ongoing post-disaster reconstruction, and a new political climate in India, provide a policy window to further strengthen an urban disaster risk governance framework to facilitate and improve urban resilience planning and investment.