Magnitude of Urban Flood in Kolkata Municipal Corporation and its Influencing Factors

In last few decades the intensity and frequency of floods has been increasing in Kolkata Municipal Corporation which effects economy and society to large extent. The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) overviewed the Global trends of different weather events and notes that the frequency of heavy precipitation events has increased over most land areas (IPCC AR4 2007). In last 100 year’s rainfall data shows a cyclic pattern of rainfall intensification and high magnitude storm which led to intensive flood in Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Land use change in Kolkata Municipal Corporation and its surrounding results in reduction of water holding capacity as well a drainage congestion to contribute waterlogging.