In the wake of the recent downpour at Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin appealed the Home Minister Amit Shah to provide better tech-facility at Indian Meteorological Center-Chennai.
M.K.Stalin’s Message: Enhance the capacity of IMC, Chennai
In his letter to the Home Minister, Chief Minister Stalin mentioned that the State Government relies substantially on alerts issued by the Indian Meteorological Centre (IMC), Chennai for gearing up the administration to handle impending disaster situations arising out of intense rainfall.
By stating the recent shortcomings in predicting high intensity heavy downpour all over Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet Districts that resulted in inundation of many places and total disruption of traffic in the city, he underlined that IMC is unable to predict red alert situation sufficiently in advance giving hardly any time.
“On 30.12.2021, the IMC in its bulletin issued at 12 Noon predicted thunderstorm with moderate rainfall at few places over coastal Tamil Nadu and thunderstorm with moderate rain in Viluppuram, Cuddalore and Delta Districts, while predicting thunderstorm with light to moderate rain in some areas of Chennai,” the CM’s letter stated.
“Later, at 3.40 P.M., the IMC issued a Nowcast Warning stating that thunderstorm with light to moderate rain would occur at isolated places over few districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet Districts for the next 1-2 hours.”
“Meanwhile, rains started lashing Chennai and its suburbs from afternoon that lasted till late night. At 4.15 PM, the IMC issued an Orange alert. By this time, there was high intensity heavy downpour all over Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet Districts resulting in inundation of many places and total disruption of traffic in the city,” it added.
The Chief Minister said that the shortcoming in the capability of IMC to provide accurate real time rainfall forecasting on instances like this is often preventing the State and District Administration to take up timely mobilisation of emergency management system. He said that it eventually leads to total disruption of normal life, movement of health care support systems and also causing loss of lives and damages to critical infrastructure.
Hence he appealed to the Government of India through Home Minister to enhance the capacity of IMC, Chennai to enable it to make predictions of high alert situations earlier and notify the same to the State Government well in time.