E-Paper
Real-time flood warning system developed: TN CM Stalin
This is part of the infrastructure that the state is building to monitor, warn the public and initiate rescue efforts in case of flooding.
A real-time flood forecasting street and ward-wise system has been developed for Chennai, chief minister M K Stalin said in a meeting on Monday which he held to take stock of the preparation for the Northeast monsoon which is from October to December.
“The information from the new early warning system will be given to the residents who will know how much water is expected to stagnate on their streets,” an official from the Greater Chennai Corporation said. Independent weather blogger Pradeep John, who also works for the Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL), is part of the team that has built this system.
This is part of the infrastructure that the state is building to monitor, warn the public and initiate rescue efforts in case of flooding.
“Only if real-time rainfall data is available can we provide accurate flood warning and efficiently undertake water discharge management in reservoirs,” Stalin said. The state government has installed 1,400 rain gauges across the state out of which 50 are in Chennai to better equip the government to issue flood-warnings.
Stalin recalled the intense and unprecedented rainfall –which he attributed to climate change– during the Northeast monsoon last year which battered districts of Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Chennai that saw loss of lives and large-scale destruction. “We have to work with the intention that even one life shouldn’t be lost,” said Stalin.
The state government has also launched a new mobile phone application, “TN- Alert” to disseminate real-time weather data in the Tamil language. “The state government has designed the “TN-Alert” app to provide data pertaining to weather forecast, current weather, recorded rainfall level and storage level of reservoirs in Tamil to people,” Stalin said. He also recalled the inauguration of an upgraded State Emergency Control Centre in Chennai on August 22 which is functioning with a multidisciplinary team.
