Satellites reveal how urban growth is worsening Kolkata’s flood risk

Key Points

• This research aims to assess how urban growth affects flood risk in Kolkata, particularly focusing on wetlands.
• Used satellite imagery to analyze land use changes
• Identified areas at risk of flooding
• Compared historical and current data to assess urban development trends
• Wetlands are diminishing in size, increasing flood vulnerability
• Flood-prone zones are growing, exacerbating risks for the urban population
• Findings challenge previous assumptions about the city's flood resilience