Hyderabad: EVDM writes to IMD for better forecasts

Presently, the IMD issues only a city-level forecast once in 24 hours, proving it difficult for authorities to mobilize resources which was affecting the response time.

Hyderabad: Highlighting the challenges faced with the current template of the weather forecast, Enforcement, Vigilance, and Disaster Management (EV&DM) director Prakash Reddy in a letter to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) requested to provide decentralised area-specific alerts.

Presently, the IMD issues only a city-level forecast once in 24 hours, proving it difficult for authorities to mobilize resources which was affecting the response time. Moreover, adding that flash floods are on the rise in GHMC from localised clouds that develop over a very short duration, he wrote that the current format is not serving the purpose.

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“The intensity of rain, movement of clouds depicted in Radar images provided in IMD website are not readable by every field level officer & common citizen which does not allow them to take prior informed decisions,” read the letter, suggesting four changes in forecast template to GHMC area.

Along with weather forecasts before 24 hours, three hours, and one-hour intervals with real-time monitoring, he asked for the forecast to be issued at ward level and with probability of rainfall intensity and rainfall duration. Moreover, data from Doppler Radar Images were also proposed to be converted into text format.

Requesting the Director General of Meteorology, IMD to direct officers concerned to provide weather forecast services accordingly, he emphasized on the importance of such information to effectively manage the floods.