Forests naturally absorb water from rainfall and slowly release the water into the rivers. After deforestation, rainfall flows too quickly to the rivers, stripping the topsoil and causing erosion and flooding to occur. When these floods break the river's banks, further problems arise as the path of the river changes and further soil erosion occurs along the river's new path. Deforestation also makes an area more arid, contributing to droughts.

Flash floods are defined by the speed of flooding, not the source or location of flooding. While flash floods are often caused by heavy rainfall, they can also result from other events, such as drain blockages and cloud bursts

A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land which is usually dry. The European Union (EU) Floods Directive defines a flood as a covering by water of land not normally covered by water. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide.

Rajasthan.

Droughts is expected to result in increased displacement is the area of so-called slow-onset disaster in which climate change has specific long-term environmental effects over time such as desertification and other changes in weather patterns, which means that people’s livelihoods are no longer sustainable and they are forced to migrate to other places.

On 30 July 2014, a landslide occurred in the village of Malin in the Ambegaon taluka of the Pune district in Maharashtra, India. The landslide, which hit early in the morning while residents were asleep, was believed to have been caused by a burst of heavy rainfall, and killed at least 151 people. The landslide was first noticed by a bus driver who drove by the area and saw that the village had been overrun with mud and earth. In addition to those dead, more than 160 people, and possibly up to 200, were believed to have been buried in the landslide in 44 separate houses. Rains continued after the landslide making rescue efforts difficult.

Keeping in view the terms of reference of the Core Group, the Government of India has declared the Geological Survey of India as the ‘Nodal Agency’ on 29 January 2004.

Geological Survey of India as a Nodal Agency is responsible for:

1. Coordinating and undertaking geological studies for landslide hazard mitigation
2. Carrying out landslide hazard zonation
3. Monitoring landslides and avalanches
4. Studying the factors responsible for sliding and suggesting precautionary as well as preventive measure
5. National Core Group has finalized the action plan for landslide studies with inputs of GSI and other organization.

Coastal erosion is confined to southwest monsoon season when the waves are rough. Seawalls and groynes are the major management strategies adopted for coastal protection along Kerala coast. As per Shoreline Change Assessment data, about 63 percent of the coastline of Kerala is eroding.