We need flood and drought protective measures. Also reliable and accurate forecasting and warning system is of utmost necessity

Natural disasters cannot be avoided. But in order to save lives the govt should take immediate measures through its management programs. Also people should be alert through the news in press and media.  

A lot of experience was developed, in the US, after Hurricane Katrina. There is also a huge literature in various disciplines (geography included) on disaster planning and relief. If we're talking floods, hurricanes, etc. The first thing needed, I think, is an historical mapping or at least cataloguing of past events. Where there are periodic floods over time the areas that may need diking against future events can be made clear, for example. So building an historical profile is crucial. In terms of health/disaster planning there are two ways to go. The first is how to evaculate civilian personnel, especially those without private vehicles and those too sick to travel. This is about roads, trains, etc. This requires an estimate of population and time from disaster warning to weather event. From that you calculate travel rates on roads (can special trains be put on?), etc. Secondly, for those who can't travel, what is available for shelter? What is location of hospitals and prisons and how can they be better secured. This is a long answer but it's a big question with a lot of literature on it. Best of luck.

At least 63 people are now confirmed dead in the tragedy amid fears that the toll may go up substantially, while around 100 trapped in a landslide near Bhimashankar in Pune district that took place on Wednesday. The landslide took place early in the morning in Malin village in Ambegaon tehsil of Pune due to heavy rainfall. The village is just 10 kilometres from Bhimashankar Jyotirling Temple in Ambegaon Taluka and 70 kilometres from Pune city. Rescue operations have started and many bodies have so far been extracted from under the debris by team of National Disaster Response Force. Most victims of today's landslide at Malin village of Ambegaon taluka in Maharashtra state belong to the adivasi Mahadeo Koli tribal community which survives by farming paddy on hill slopes in the once-densely forested Bhimashankar region, which is now depleting.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-latest-updates-on-pune-district-landslide-15-dead-over-100-trapped-under-debris-pm-narendra-modi-directs-rajnath-singh-to-landslide-hit-spot-2006596

When a disaster like the Pune landslide occurs two things are evident. The first is likely the failure of relief resources to both quickly excavaate and treat survivors. But the greater issue over the longer term is identifying areas at risk and providing the resources that might stabilize geographies before these things happen. Floods, landslides, etc. are all dependent on a series of events whose probability is more or less predictable. For example, the devestation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. There a history of storms over the last 50 years at the least made the likelihood of a storm of this magnitude an inevitability. The history of past floods and of the limits of dikes was evident. So with disaster planning and relief (a complex process) there is the data required to prevent future events. And here mapping serves with other forms of data collection and analysis.

One critical component for disaster risk reduction is effective early warning systems (EWS). In contrast to disaster response mechanisms, early warning systems are one of the many important tools that contribute to the prevention of disasters as well as preparedness for hazards and threats, of any kind, including droughts. However, early warning systems will not be effective in saving lives if they are not combined with early actions facilitated by “people-centered” approaches and networks.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212094714000309

I think for some natural hazards, the forecasting is the best way enables us to take the most important measurements.

Forecasts of hazardous natural phenomena based on the application of fractals are now available to government agencies responsible for planning and responding to natural disasters such the Federal Emergency Management Association and other emergency personnel to be able to better forecast the size, location, and timing of future events. "Based on the fractal patterns seen over the past 100 years," says Barton, "We can better forecast the probability of a future event."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/01/020131073853.htm

During periods of drought, we have our water rationing schedules set in place. Everyone is supposed to minimize use of water.  Floods are more tricky but our people have learnt to evacuate quickly and efficiently.  A former Prime minister suggested that houses (in flood prone areas that experience annual floods) should be built on stilts.  The pic shows the recent floods.

1) A person working with the village Malin where the land slide had occurred had consistently warned the Pune District Collector about the slide a week in advance,but it went on deaf ears. (Ref: the current newspapers).Though he luckily  escaped the disaster,now he has filed a petition in the Pune Court against the authorities.This shows how Indian systems work.

1a):Read this fact.: Sri Lanka being a member of International net work of Tsunami Early Warning System ( India is not),was informed of the impending gush of Tsunami waters.The PM along with its President  were not immediately available & this information reached some official.Thinking that Tsunami was an important official comming from Indonesia,welcome banners were placed in Colombo Air Port! 

2) It has been found that 50 Sq. kilometers of forest/plantation can attract rains, & this needs to be put in practice, especially in the arid regions of the country.

3) A good network of canal system can imbibe substantial amount of flood waters & can minimize its effects to an extent. India has still to work on these lines.

4) With disappearance of surface cover over hills & mountains,silt & mud has regularly accumulated in the reservoir basins,resulting in lowering capacity of reservoirs.This results in excess loss of water in sea. Timely monitoring of release of water can mitigate flood problem to an extent.

5) Dams with mud embankments needs to be abolished.They can't be expected to stand in good stead. E.g.Morbi dam bursting disaster in Gujarat.

6) Citizens should be prevented to draw underground water when municipal/borough water supply system is in force.

7) Drip irrigation system could be made mandatory so that excess of ground water is not wasted.

8) Govts. are facing the problem of utilization of waste lands.They need to be planted with trees,so that they can hold water to an extent & increase productivity of soil. E.g. Gujarat has planted Prosopis julifolia in almost all the arid regions of Saurashtra.

Multi-purpose dams, if well planned and managed, provide an important option to meeting some of today’s major development challenges. By providing clean and reliable energy, storage volume to improve drinking water supply or agricultural food production, and enhanced flood control, they contribute to energy, water and food security -- and to human security in general. In vulnerable regions, multi-purpose dams can also be an appropriate response to the impacts of climate change. Yet, as many new multi-purpose projects are expected to be realized in the future, the sustainability of large dams and reservoirs will remain a key issue.

http://agriwaterpedia.info/wiki/Multi-purpose_dams

Checking the papers linked to the EM-DAT (international disaster database developed by the CRED) should help you: http://www.emdat.be/database

India needs a comprehensive flood control policy that should be evolved by the Centre in consultation with the states. It should be based on a multipronged strategy ranging from structural interventions to use of latest technology for better flood management. An efficient flood management is a special case of water management and requires a most holistic approach including management of thousands of micro-watersheds in both the catchment and flood-prone areas. The abandoned river linking scheme should be taken up as part of the policy.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/editorials/Adopt-a-Comprehensive-Policy-to-Control-Floods/2014/09/09/article2421127.ece

Well, how likely are either drought or flood? Is there a history of either? And if there is, where has the effect been strongest. Is the flood caused by heavy rainfall or storm events? Answering those questions is the first step to figuring out what type of geographies you will be looking at and the type of programs you may later required. But at the moment the question needs to be focused.

Focus shall be more on damage assessment of the historical floods. As India is growing there is pressure on the cities. Therefore people tend to pressurize the real estate by unlawful meaning . This the reason for the more casualties.  More focus on urban resilience or SMART CITIES should be planned in this way for reduction in casualties. 

I am working on the same area. my study region is Upper Bhima Basin near pune. 

As Sir told about multipurpose dams, please refer the KHADAKWASLA PROJECT. On its Downstream there is UJJANI DAM ( 110 KMS away ) . This dam is not getting filled by its own catchment rains. So the benefits of this project is high. 

According to IPCC Assessment Report(AR5),floods and droughts are likely to increase in India. India will get more rainfall but will have fewer rainy days.Increase in extreme precipitation during monsoons is also predicted.Most climate models predict that India will be hit more by extreeme rainfall as glbal temperature continues to rise in the coming decades.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Govt-to-Study-Extreme-Weather-Pattern-in-Country/2014/09/11/article2425570.ece

GEDI Lidar will have a tremendous impact on our ability to monitor forest degradation, adding to the critical data needed to mitigate the effects of climate change," said Patrick O'Shea, chief research officer at the University of Maryland.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/nasa-to-map-earth-forests-in-3d-114091000199_1.html

Tsunamis are the results of earthquakes; you can't stop them but you can get an early warning.

The ocean is responsible for powerful cyclones and floods because it is warmer than usual. To cool the sea temperature, you need to cool the air. But to cool the air one needs to stop burning fossil fuels in a car or factory. If you could do that, it will take maybe a generation to cool the air back to what it was before Global Warming started.