When Extremes Collide: Planning for Heat and Flood Risk in Indian Cities

Indian cities are increasingly experiencing climate risks that do not arrive neatly one at a time. Extreme heat can be followed by intense rainfall and flooding, creating compound risks that can overwhelm infrastructure, disrupt livelihoods, and deepen vulnerabilities. Recent research from Chennai, for example, shows that rainfall events preceded by heatwaves can produce substantially greater flood exposure than rainfall extremes occurring in isolation. This session will explore why heat and flooding need to be understood and planned for together, rather than as separate urban challenges. Drawing on emerging evidence from Indian cities, the discussion will examine how land use, drainage, urban form, infrastructure, and social vulnerability interact to shape these risks. It will bring together city practitioners, researchers, and community perspectives to ask: How can Indian cities move from responding to individual hazards towards integrated climate-risk planning? And what practical, locally appropriate measures can make cities more resilient to climate extremes?