IITH embarks on pioneering Urban Flood Mitigation Project to bolster Hyderabad’s resilience

Researchers at IITH have initiated a groundbreaking endeavor to tackle the persistent issue of urban flooding in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) have initiated a groundbreaking endeavor to tackle the persistent issue of urban flooding in Hyderabad.

The project, spearheaded by Dr. Satish Kumar Regonda, aims at establishing an Urban Flood Information System (UFIS) to mitigate flood impacts within the city’s precincts. The cornerstone of UFIS lies in the assimilation of crucial flood-associated data, insightful analysis of the amassed data, and the application of modeling techniques to accurately predict rainfall volumes, flood depths, and its spread.

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A reliable UFIS depends on continuous flood-related data collection, that is sought to be achieved through SnapFlood. The programme aims to engage citizens in contributing vital flood information. This initiative is complemented by leveraging social media platforms like Twitter to glean flood data, a methodology that previously spotlighted flood hotspots in Hyderabad at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference in 2021.

Within the RAFT (Rainfall-runoff Analysis modeling and Forecasting Tools) research group led by Dr. Satish, scholars like Mohammed Azharuddin and Ponukumati Padmini have delved into the climatological facets of rainfall and the exploration of alternative rainfall products respectively, to enhance flood-related applications in Hyderabad.

Many components are being developed to have a holistic approach towards urban-scale weather, hydrology, and hydraulic modeling, alongside real-time flood information dissemination via social media.

IITH Director, Prof. B S Murty said: “The UFIS project epitomizes our relentless pursuit to address real-world challenges through pioneering research. By fostering a collaborative milieu with government agencies and domain experts, we aspire to pioneer a transformative solution, not only fortifying Hyderabad against floods but also setting a precedent for other flood-prone cities across India.”

Dr. Satish Kumar Regonda reflected on the essence of the project by reminiscing his childhood fondness for rain, juxtaposed against the stark reality of its destructive potential when in excess. He stressed the imperativeness of systems like UFIS that amalgamate meteorological, hydrological, and stakeholders’ relevant dimensions to bolster flood awareness and city resilience.