Jammu and Kashmir to get 1st impact-based flood forecasting system

Jammu and Kashmir is likely to get the country’s first impact-based flood forecasting system in collaboration with UK space agency, enabling the prediction of the impact impending floods may have on people's lives including, houses, crops, livestock, and transport routes, thereby helping in mitigating several of these challenges, said J&K Lieutenant Governor.

“Having impact-based forecasts of flood risk using Earth Observation (EO) based Information will be useful for efficient, effective contingency planning and swift evaluation of severity for necessary response,” L-G Manoj Sinha remarked.

“It is a big initiative taken by the Hon'ble Lt Governor of UT of J&K and will help to predict fluvial flood risks, in terms of expected loss to life, injuries to people, building collapse, infrastructure disruption, and economic damage. The framework will be capable of being linked to any existing or future flood flow forecasting system. The UT Government will not have to bear any expenses on the project,” said a J&K administration spokesperson.

A recent report has put India among the 10 most disaster prone countries in the world and ranked floods as one of the greatest climate-related hazards. India has numerous flood forecasting systems that provide prediction of water levels and flows but not their impact in terms of loss of life, damage to buildings, critical infrastructure and agriculture, said the spokesperson.

J&K falls in seismic zone IV and V, making it prone to quakes as well.

The National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) is a new programme established by the UK Space Agency which supports collaborative projects between UK organisations and international partners.