Nowcast tech gives in time weather alerts

Hyderabad: ‘Nowcast ‘technology is now available with Telangana government to predict thunderstorms, hailstorms and heavy winds three hours in advance in the coming monsoon season.

In the wake of growing incidences of rain related calamities, mainly loss of human lives and extensive damage of properties during rainy season, the State government in cooperation with the IMD (Indian Meteorological Department) has adopted the Nowcast technology to foresee the calamities that wreak havoc in a short time. The IMD has predicted the T-state is likely to receive 4 per cent more rains than normal rainfall this year.

Nowcast technology is being used widely in European countries to assess the impact of thunderstorms and gales in one or two hours and help to protect the dwellers from the disaster.
State Secretary, Revenue (Disaster Management) RV Chandravadan said that the IMD (Hyderabad unit) is providing alerts three hours in advance on the possibility of rain related disasters particularly in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and district headquarters.

The disaster management wing will alert the local authorities immediately and take necessary steps to contain the rain related damages. The official said that the thunderstorm related deaths and property damages due to hailstorms can be prevented with the use of nowcast technology.

The use of new technology will help the government in disaster preparedness by anticipating the intensity of calamity in advance every hour. Soon after receiving alerts, the disaster management wing will plunge into action and deploy rescue teams for flood management and evacuation of residents.

The government identified erstwhile Adilabad, Karimnagar and Mahboobnagar as the most vulnerable districts this monsoon season.

Special teams from National and State Disaster Management Force will be deployed in the sensitive areas based on the alerts given by the IMD, the official said.

Special teams were already formed to monitor the situation in the low-lying areas prone to submergence during heavy rains in Greater Hyderabad limits.

Earlier, Chief Secretary SK Joshi held a review on preparedness of the departments concerned in the ensuing monsoon and instructed officials to set up control room in every district and create a coordination team involving Irrigation, Police, Road and Buildings departments for rescue operations during heavy rains.