Odisha Presses IMD for Enhanced Weather Forecasting with RMC

Odisha Seeks Meteorological Centre as State Grapples with Mounting Natural Disasters
Odisha, vulnerable to cyclones, floods, and lightning strikes, the state government demanded that the upgradation of the current India Meteorological Department office at Bhubaneswar to the status of a regional meteorological centre be done. This appeal was made by State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari while attending a function that marked the 150th anniversary of the IMD on Monday.

Currently, there are six regional centers of IMD in the country, that are New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Nagpur, Kolkata, and Guwahati. Pujari said it is because this state requires a dedicated weather center so that timely information pertaining to the meteorological situation with accuracy to tackle calamities occurs through weather updates that are more critical in natural calamities.
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According to Pujari, IMD weather forecasts are quite pivotal in terms of disaster preparedness and response. The time-sensitive updates about weather provided by the IMD have been quite significant for the state government to administer the aftermath of the just-ended cyclone ‘Dana’. “Had timely predictions like this not existed, Odisha would find it challenging to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone,” he said.
There has been frequent natural calamities in the recent years in Odisha. The cyclones and floods are becoming more recurrent, but Odisha has identified the requirement of an early warning. This early warning enables the government machinery and the people of the state to prepare themselves before a particular weather event, and that is the view expressed by Pujari, Minister.
“The opening of the regional IMD office at Bhubaneswar would boost the capacity of the state to deal with the challenges better, he added.

Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo said the IMD did a good job in issuing accurate predictions, especially in case of cyclones. “He said that the IMD had been doing a pretty good job about predicting landfall of cyclones, where the eye of the storm would be and how much damage might be expected. That had also been the case with cyclone ‘Dana’ which made landfall along the Odisha coast. Singh Deo said that the state government seriously took the predictions by the IMD and had dispatched ministers to districts before the cyclone made its landfall for preparation.
SRC D K Singh of Odisha described the forecasting process of weather conditions of Odisha as a strenuous task because of diversified geographical features of the state. He acknowledged the IMD for putting in efforts to provide information for helping the state government to tide over the disaster response.

The IMD has been very instrumental in the preparedness of disasters. Right forecast from the agency ensures authorities take precautionary steps like evacuating people from areas vulnerable to those disasters, making shelters in time, and having emergencies within their reach.

Growing Threat Of Lightning Strikes

IMD Director General Mrutyunjaya Mohapatra said from Odisha that lightening strike incidents have gone on to become one among the most serious calamities facing the state. He added that while death toll due to this kind of calamity hovers around 300 persons a year in Odisha alone, which is a record higher than any kind of disaster in the region, the rising number of cases has necessitated improved predictive tools and better disaster management strategy against this growing threat.
Apart from lightning, the disaster management has become complex with extreme weather conditions, including high summer temperatures in Bolangir and Mayurbhanj, and low temperatures in Daringbadi of Kandhamal. Expansion of weather monitoring capability has also been referred by Mohapatra. These include Doppler radars in Paradip and Gopalpur. There is a plan for installation of more radars in Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, and Balasore.

Technological Upgrades of IMD

According to Manorama Mohanty, head of IMD’s meteorological centre, based in Bhubaneswar, much development has occurred in the department during the last 150 years. With the progress of technology, IMD has taken up various measures in order to enhance its skills in terms of forecasting. This also includes the creation of large observation stations with the newest tools to detect changes in weather. Through such advancements, it has allowed the department to provide updated and precise forecasts, one of the needs in directing natural calamities.
IMD has set up weather watch stations in all the 30 districts of Odisha. The Doppler radar network built by this has increased the real-time capability to track weather patterns. More radars across the state will build up its potential to make appropriate forecasts, and this means it will have accurate data for the officials as well as the people facing bad weather.

Conclusion:

A developing scenario of natural disasters for the state of Odisha prompted the state government to emphasize the opening of an office of the Indian Meteorological Department in Bhubaneswar. The strength of the IMD in such scenarios is critically important for successful disaster management, and as such its presence within the state has to be built up so that its impact can be limited within cyclones, floods, and lightning strikes.
Technological improvement in the IMD along with improvements in forecasting skills has already benefited it to a great extent for recent disaster management. But as natural calamity occurs with growing frequency and severity, having a regional meteorological centre in Odisha is an essential element to elevate preparedness during such situations, which may help secure people in its state safely.