Heatwaves, landslides, rising seas: How India’s climate is spiraling in real time

It’s only mid-year, but 2025 has already reminded us—loud and clear—that climate change is not a distant threat. It’s here, unfolding in real time across India’s hills, coasts, farms, and forests. From snowless winters in the north to early heatwaves in the south, weather patterns are shifting fast and leaving behind trails of loss, disruption, and tragedy.

This year, several climate-linked events have played out across India, signalling a new normal. But what do they mean? Why is India so vulnerable? And what must we do differently?

Climate change is here, and it’s accelerating

In the northwestern and northeastern regions of the country, winter and snowfall typically occur during January and February. However, this year, like many other parts of the world, January turned out to be the second warmest January on record, and February was the warmest ever recorded. Due to above-average temperatures, snowfall did not occur in many hill states in the northern regions of India such as Uttarakhand and parts of Himachal Pradesh. In some areas of these states, rainfall was 60 to 99 percent below average.

Surprisingly, on the last day of February, all the hill states received heavy snowfall. In March when these regions normally enjoy the colourful blooms of spring, they remain covered in a white blanket of snow. This marked the first major climate change event of 2025. One severe snowstorm in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand struck with such intensity that it swept away 55 labourers of the Border Roads Organisation along with the iron containers they were staying in. Tragically, 8 labourers lost their lives, and the remaining 47 were rescued after a strenuous operation.

From snowless hills to early heatwaves

Due to the extreme cold and hot weather conditions, the spring season has disappeared from many parts of northwest and central India. This marks the third major change in India’s climate. In addition, the hilly states of the country experienced heavy rainfall in April, similar to what is typically seen in June–July. This led to incidents of landslides in several places in Jammu and Kashmir and Sikkim. The arrival of such early and intense rainfall in April was the fourth significant climatic change event. With these climatic changes, there has also been an increase in both the frequency and severity of natural disasters. In April, strong winds in Punjab and Haryana destroyed hundreds of acres of ripe wheat crops. In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, lightning strikes caused the deaths of more than a hundred people.

On April 1st, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) released a weather report for the months of April to June. It stated that in 15 states (Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, northern Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh), the temperature is expected to be above average. These states generally experience heatwaves lasting 4 to 7 days, but this year the duration could extend to 10 or 11 days. In the northwestern and northeastern hilly regions, as well as in Kerala and Karnataka, incidents of heavy rainfall, landslides, and mudslides are also expected.

Glaciers melting, lakes swelling: The Himalayan risk

One of the main reasons why India is severely impacted by climate change is the country’s geographical location and the model of economic growth it has adopted. India's economic growth model contributes to climate change primarily by its heavy reliance on fossil fuels for energy, driving increased greenhouse gas emissions from industrialisation and urbanisation. To the north lie the snow-covered Himalayas, the highest and youngest mountains in the world, and to the south, India is surrounded on three sides by the sea.

Due to the rise in global average temperature, Himalayan glaciers have started melting rapidly, causing the size of glacial lakes to increase significantly. In India, the size of 67 glacial lakes increased by 40 percent between 2011 and 2024. These lakes are located in the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. These lakes are at risk of bursting at any time.

The heavy cost of unplanned development in hill states

In 2013, a cloudburst in Kedarnath Dham (Uttarakhand) caused massive flooding, resulting in the death of thousands of local residents and pilgrims, and left hundreds of thousands of pilgrims stranded for several days. In mountainous regions, climate change has led to intense rainfall, which causes landslides and mudslides that disrupt transportation.

However, landslides due to rain are a natural phenomenon; large-scale landslides are largely the result of the economic growth model being pursued. For economic development, the central and state governments are promoting tourism in  the hill states by building four-lane highways, ropeways, helipads, and other infrastructure to attract more tourists. To facilitate these activities, environmental regulations are not being followed, leading to indiscriminate deforestation and excavation of hills. As a result, incidents like landslides, mudslides, land subsidence, and cloudbursts are becoming more frequent.

Rising seas, hotter coasts: Southern India’s growing threat

With the sea on three sides, southern India is feeling the heat—quite literally. Since early 2023, global sea surface temperatures have stayed unusually high, and that’s having serious consequences. Coastal states are now seeing earlier and longer heatwaves, more intense cyclones, and marine heatwaves happening more often than before.

And it’s not just weather patterns that are changing—rising sea levels are putting millions at risk. Nearly 40% of India’s population lives along the coast. As seawater creeps inland, homes, farms, and entire livelihoods face the threat of going underwater. Relocating these communities is no small task—and the pressure is only growing. Ocean-linked disasters are no longer rare events; they’re fast becoming part of daily life for India’s coastal regions.

Kerala and Karnataka, nestled along the lush slopes of the Western Ghats, are among the most ecologically rich—and fragile—regions in southern India. Back in 2011, the central government set up the Gadgil Committee to figure out how to balance development with environmental protection in these hills. The committee made a strong case: nearly 88% of the Western Ghats should be declared ecologically sensitive, and it recommended 52 types of development restrictions to keep the region safe.

It’s clear that we need to rethink how we build in sensitive areas. Development can’t be one-size-fits-all. Road widths, for example, should match the local landscape’s carrying capacity, especially in hilly terrain. In the Western Ghats and other vulnerable zones, it’s time to dust off the Gadgil Committee’s report and take its advice seriously. And alongside smarter planning, we must also commit to expanding our forest cover to at least 33%—a key step in building climate resilience.

A climate-conscious future: What needs to change

India needs a development model that respects nature, not fights it. Here’s what we must urgently prioritise:

• Eco-sensitive planning: Road widths, infrastructure, and tourism projects in hills must follow strict ecological norms.

• Implement expert recommendations: Resurrect and act on the Gadgil Committee's findings for the Western Ghats.

• Restore green cover: Bring forest cover up to 33% nationally through community-led afforestation.

• Protect coasts: Create adaptive plans for coastal communities facing sea-level rise.

• Prioritise local resilience: Empower local bodies and panchayats with early warning systems, risk maps, and disaster-preparedness plans.

Climate change is not coming. It’s already here, reshaping lives and landscapes. The sooner we adapt our systems and strategies, the more resilient we’ll become, not just for this year, but for the uncertain decades ahead.