A database on the infrastructure and other physical features in every district must be compiled to develop an impact-based forecast mechanism that will help minimise damage to property and infrastructure, K.J. Ramesh, Director General of Meteorology, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), New Delhi, said here on Wednesday.
Addressing an user meet on ‘Weather Services: Emerging needs and way forward’ organised by the Regional Meteorological Centre, he said data on various features such as roads, culverts, power transmission network and crops raised must be collated to develop an impact-based forecast model that would provide alerts on damage vulnerability of certain assets besides providing cyclone warning.
He said the emergency response system had to be strengthened to cope with disasters like tsunami.
Elaborating on the projects to mitigate impact of natural disasters, J. Parthiban, assistant commissioner, Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Agency, said thunder and lightning sensors would be installed in Tamil Nadu by next year to predict occurrence of lightning and bring down the death toll.
Pilot studies have been initiated in Tiruvallur and Nagapattinam districts to analyse high vulnerability areas and this would be extended to other districts.
Lauding the IMD for accurate forecasts, he said more training programmes must be conducted for field personnel to handle emergency situations. A booklet on IMD’s forecast terminologies in Tamil and ‘Pavandooth’, the in-house magazine, were also released on the occasion.
S.B. Thampi, Deputy Director-General of Meteorology, Chennai, and S. Balachandran, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, made presentations.
